Rain lashed down, soaking through my armor as we worked. We shoved wax satchels deep into crevices in the massive dam, carefully winding wick around each small igniter. The slick wood made the work treacherous, but we just dealt with it. By the time we finished, at least two dozen bombs lined the dam’s center, a web of thin wires connecting them. I was absolutely covered in sticky sap, and I was pretty sure there was sweat pooling inside my armor.
I straightened, wiping rainwater from my face. "Now what?" I asked Cass, peering over the edge for any sign of the Arbortrux.
"We need to lure them back here," she shouted over the downpour. "But Arbortrux typically stay north of the mountain. I don’t know much about their behavior."
The treeline ahead was a dark wall in the driving rain, the creatures nowhere in sight.
"They're basically beavers, right?" I asked. Cass frowned, clearly confused. "Castors? Castorinae?" I tried, hoping the Latin roots would help her make the connection.
Her face lit up with recognition. "Yeah, that's them! You have those on Earth too?"
"Sure do," I said with a grim smile. "And the number one way to piss off a beaver is to fuck with its dam."
Cass's expression shifted into a mischievous grin. "Well, you're the one in armor," she said, her voice laced with glee. "Start fucking!"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smirk tugging at my lips. A "that’s what she said" joke danced on the tip of my tongue, but I knew it would fly right over her head. I filed that away for later. If we survived this, I’d have to introduce her to the concept.
I let out a slow breath as the absurdity of the situation hit me: torrential rain, giant beaver monsters, a dam the size of a building, and Ferris throwing bolts of lightning like it was casual. Bravery thrummed in the back of my mind, its steady burn reassuring me.
You’ve got this.
Reaching into my earring, I considered taking out the mana pearls Ron had given us. Could I absorb them directly without taking a mana hit?
I tested it and found I could. The pearls dissolved in a rush of energy from the earring, and my pathways stretched under the influx of mana. It didn’t feel like I was full, exactly, but I was sure I’d hit some kind of threshold. Cass must have noticed because she cocked her head.
“You good?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I replied. “I just absorbed all the pearls Ron gave us. Turns out I can do it straight from the earring. Feels like… I’ve got too much mana, but not like this morning. More stable, I think.”
“Might be a milestone,” she said with a shrug. “Try to stay above that point as long as you can. Think of your mana pathways like a muscle.”
I nodded. Whatever had happened, it definitely felt like something had shifted.
“Alright, be ready,” I said, watching Cass start to climb down the dam.
“Don’t do anything stupid—just get them onto the dam!” she yelled back, her voice barely audible over the storm.
And then I was alone, lying prone on the massive dam. Water roared beneath me, rushing toward the aqueduct and spilling over the edges in a chaotic torrent. A fifty-foot waterfall waited if I slipped. No pressure.
I sighed, pushing myself to my feet and glaring at the distant tree line.
How the hell am I going to get them here?
Reassembling my spear, I jammed the blade between two logs to test for leverage. The wood didn’t budge, and the shaft began to bend alarmingly. Not ideal.
Switching tactics, I hacked at one of the logs. The spearhead sliced deep into the wet wood with satisfying ease, though wrenching it free took some effort.
Grinning despite myself, I targeted a lower section of the dam near the edge where water was already lapping at the surface. A few swings later, a stream burst through, spilling down toward the aqueduct below.
My victory was short-lived. My aura flared—danger, close—and I barely had time to throw myself back before a massive tree trunk hurled through the air, skimming over me and slamming into the aqueduct with a teeth-rattling crash.
Did something just throw a fucking tree?!
Shaking off the shock, I stood and gripped my spear tighter. I didn’t get far before my aura screamed again. This time, I barely managed to channel mana into my back before the impact hit. A smooth, soaked aspen log slammed into me, the force sending me tumbling head-over-heels down the dam.
The armor absorbed the brunt of the blow, but whiplash cracked my neck painfully as I tumbled ten meters into the mud. My head rang as I staggered to my knees, Red rushing to me with frantic snuffles and licks, his soaked fur smeared with streaks of mud from my hands.
“They’re coming!” I shouted, pushing myself upright.
The rest of the party had retreated to the aqueduct, Edward standing with a wick in hand, ready to ignite it. Before I could catch my breath, an ear-piercing roar cut through the rain. I looked up just in time to see several sets of glowing red eyes glaring down from the top of the dam. Large, furry shapes loomed, and they did not look happy.
“Ben, run!” someone shouted.
I didn’t wait to be told twice. Pumping my legs through the mud, I sprinted for the aqueduct. Ahead, Edward produced a small silver device, twisting it to spark the wick. It hissed and sparked furiously through the muck toward the dam.
A roar louder than before erupted as one of the Arbortrux leaped down, its massive form landing squarely on the sparking wick. The fuse fizzled out in the mud.
Did it just… know what it was doing?
Edward groaned beside me, and Cass swore as she drew her sword. “We need to retreat,” she said, though her voice betrayed her reluctance. Two more Arbortrux jumped down from the dam, their bulky forms landing heavily in the mud.
“I have a really stupid idea,” I said, getting to my feet. Lately, it seemed like that was all I had.
Cass grabbed my shoulder, trying to stop me, but I could see her eyebrows raise as I pulled a blazing lantern orb from my earring. The intense infrared heat radiated from the orb, hissing as rain evaporated on contact. The gauntlets of my armor protected me from the worst of it, but even then, it was like holding a small sun.
“Oh, that is a stupid idea,” Cass said with a wicked grin, drawing her other sword. “I’ll cover you.”
Spear in one hand, lantern orb in the other, I sprinted toward the dam with Cass right beside me. The Arbortrux reared onto their back legs, slapping the muddy ground with their enormous flat tails. They really were giant beavers.
Two others perched on top of the dam, clawing at the sides like they were trying to remove the explosives. Just how smart were these things? Weren’t they supposed to be animals? How did they know what the satchels lodged in the wood would do?
Arrows suddenly pelted at the two as we ran, Jake or Elizabeth must have taken aim to give us covering fire.
Cass struck first. One of the monsters moved to block us, and she dove to her knees, sliding under its belly as her swords carved twin arcs into its underside. Thick yellow ooze spilled out, coating her as she rolled. The creature let out an ear-splitting scream, but before she could regain her footing, its massive tail swung like a cricket bat, catching her squarely and sending her flying. She hit the ground with a loud “oof,” tumbling to a stop in the mud.
Her move bought me just enough time. My danger sense flared, steering me clear of an attack and lining me up with one of the satchels. I hurled the orb with all my strength, the searing heat of it leaving steam trails in the rain as it connected.
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I tried to turn and run, but another monster slashed at me with its claws. My mana-infused armor absorbed the blow, and to my surprise, it barely drained any energy at all—nothing close to what Cass’s punch had done.
Standing my ground, though, was a mistake.
The satchel detonated with a shower of sparks, sending a constellation of wicks racing toward the other bombs.
“Oh fu—” I didn’t even get the words out before the world went white.
The explosion hit like a thunderclap, the shockwave slamming into me and hurling me backward. My ears rang with silence as I felt myself go airborne, limbs flailing. A heartbeat later, I crashed hard into the stone aqueduct.
Before I could catch my breath, a wall of water thundered down the channel, slamming into me like a freight train. I was swept away, tumbling down the aqueduct as the torrent carried me. My head struck the side, snapping me out of the muffled haze of the explosion.
Pain lanced through my skull, and I groaned as I fought to regain control. The water roared around me, relentless and unyielding, dragging us further into chaos.
Stabilizing myself, I spotted Cass and Elizabeth struggling ahead, swimming against the rushing torrent as we careened out of control over the valley below. Twisting to look back, I caught sight of the carnage behind us. Jagged, broken logs churned in the rapids, and at least two Arbortrux clung to the debris, roaring with fury as they were swept along.
The aqueduct’s flood had overwhelmed the sluices, sending a deluge tumbling downhill toward Rainhaven. Before I could think, I was airborne again, crashing onto the muddy road we’d left hours ago and rolling hard into a tree. Water surged around me, dragging more debris as I staggered upright.
Two Arbortrux landed ahead of me with a splash, unfazed by the flood as they hurled jagged pieces of wood in my direction. Dodging the makeshift missiles, I tightened my grip on my spear, scanning desperately for the others.
The Florans huddled around Cass near the road’s edge, their bows raised as they loosed arrows at the advancing beasts. Cass lay on the ground, writhing in pain, a thick spear of wood impaling her thigh. My stomach turned at the sight.
The monsters roared again, their voices muted by my still-ringing ears. Ignoring the pain in my limbs, I reached into my earring, retrieving two shock spikes and charging them with mana coins. The black runes etched into the spikes flared yellow, crackling with intense energy as I hurled them one after the other. The first missed, splashing into the water, but the second struck its mark. One of the Arbortrux tried to deflect it with its tail, only to be hit with a loud pop of electricity. The jolt startled it, but didn’t slow it down much.
I sprinted to the group as Elizabeth fired another bolt, her quiver almost empty. The monsters hesitated, their glowing eyes scanning the group warily.
“How bad is it?” I asked, skidding to a stop beside them.
“We need to get the wood out and stop the bleeding,” Jake said, his voice grim as he loosed his last arrow. “Do you have a healing potion?”
I shook my head. “We weren’t ready for this—we were going to Cass’s farm.” My gaze shifted to the blood pooling beneath Cass’s leg, and an idea struck. I had plenty of mana coursing through me, and I’d seen Compassion work before. Could I recreate that healing?
Edward pulled thick canvas strips from his pack, handing one to Cass to bite down on while Elizabeth fired her last few bolts to hold the monsters back. Thin strands of lightning shot out from the treeline as Ferris and Jorrah flanked the creatures. Relief was short-lived, though, as two more Arbortrux emerged, one pinning Jorrah to the ground in a vicious struggle.
The Compassion rune glimmered in my mind’s eye, but it resisted me, refusing to come forward. It was like trying to grab water—it slipped away every time. Bravery and Compassion clashed, their energies unwilling to mix, and I had no idea how to recreate the sigil I’d used before.
Edward gritted his teeth as he yanked the wood from Cass’s leg. She screamed, blood pouring out before he wrapped the wound tightly with canvas. The rain only made the task harder, soaking everything and everyone.
“Get back to Rainhaven!” Cass yelled through gritted teeth. “Find healing potions, get help!”
Edward didn’t argue. He tied the bandages off and bolted toward the village without a word.
“I’m out!” Elizabeth called, fumbling through an empty quiver. Jake’s arrows were gone too, and the two Arbortrux ahead of us, riddled with bolts and matted in yellow ooze, just kept advancing. Their glowing red eyes gleamed with relentless intent.
I clenched my jaw, gripping my spear tighter. This wasn’t over—not yet. These were my friends, and I’d made a choice to hunt monsters. If this was the job, then I had to see it through.
Turning back to the monsters, I spotted Jorrah and Ferris outmaneuvering the remaining two Arbortrux. They sprinted toward us, their movements fluid even as exhaustion was written in their every step.
“We are nearly out of mana!” Jorrah shouted, his melodic voice strained as they reached us. “Retreat seems prudent—the blockage is cleared!”
Ferris’s gaze locked on Cass, and his expression darkened as he saw the makeshift bandages soaked with blood. “This humble scholar will hold them off while you retreat,” he said, his tone calm, yet unyielding. “It is… my… duty as the Adept.”
Anger bubbled in my chest, raw and unfamiliar. It wasn’t fear—I could feel Bravery suppressing that—but it burned hotter, deeper. Cass was lying there bleeding, helpless. She shouldn’t be the one on the ground. I was the one in armor. It should have been me.
It should…
Click.
Hell yeah! A gruff, familiar voice resonated in my mind as understanding dawned. The sigil from this morning snapped into focus, the missing piece falling into place.
Together, they weren’t just Brave Compassion—they were something more. Something complete. It was far more potent than simple bravery, something more powerful. It was the feeling of a firefighter running into a burning building, the feeling of stepping in front of those you care about to protect them. It was pure heroism.
Scream at the universe, show it who is under your protection.
The recognition ignited something within me. A surge of azure energy erupted from my body as the spell bound itself into my mind. Mana poured into the sigil like a river, feeding it, amplifying it. My aura exploded outward, the armor no longer suppressing it. Its range easily tripled the original distance, eclipsing anything I’d comfortably managed before.
It was as if the world had slowed. The rain hung in the air, each droplet glinting like a jewel. The distant strings of the guzheng in Rainhaven rang clear in the stillness. The snarling monsters before us. Cass’s labored breaths. The tension in Ferris’s stance and Jake shivering in the warm rain with Jorrah. All of it came into sharp, almost surreal focus.
Where was Red?
Elizabeth stared at me, frozen, her wide eyes fixed on me. Her mouth moved, though the sound didn’t reach me. But I didn’t need to hear her to understand the word she whispered: Valor.
I took a deep breath and knelt beside Cass, placing my hand over her wound. Blue energy surrounded me—was that my aura? It reminded me of the green glow Doreen had used.
Cass’s hand shot up, gripping my wrist tightly. “Save your mana, Ben,” she said through gritted teeth, a grin breaking through the pain. “Kill the gods-damned monsters.”
I rose slowly, turning toward the remaining four Arbortrux. My aura flared, projecting something primal and undeniable—predatory. The monsters hesitated, their hulking forms recoiling slightly, as though they could sense the shift in the balance. For the first time, they seemed uncertain.
My grip tightened on the spear, and I took a single step forward. My voice rang out, steady and deliberate.
“Come on, then.”
Not even giving the creatures a second to react, I surged forward through the rain. My bare feet splashed through the rushing water, each step deliberate and controlled. The wind whipped past my ears as I spun the spear, droplets flinging off in wide arcs. An Arbortrux reared back instinctively as the spray hit its face, flinching as if I’d landed a blow.
I didn’t hesitate. In one smooth motion, I lunged, driving the spear into its soft belly. The blade slid through effortlessly, yellow ooze spilling onto the muddy ground as the creature tried and failed to recoil from the strike.
I was too fast.
Valor’s warnings flared in my mind so much more powerful than before—claw from the left, tail from the right. But the attacks were slow, predictable, almost clumsy. My body moved on instinct, twisting with minimal effort to evade them. The spear sang through the air, bending slightly under the force of my swing. The flat of the blade slammed into another Arbortrux’s face with a resounding crack. It stumbled backward, yellow ooze pouring from its now-broken snout.
A grin tugged at my lips as I planted my feet. The remaining creatures hesitated, their hulking forms wavering. For the first time, they seemed to understand: they weren’t going to win.
The first Arbortrux I’d attacked lay crumpled on the ground, yellow ooze pooling beneath its limp body. The Orichalcum spear had done its job, its impossibly keen edge cutting deep.
Sliding my back foot, I shifted into a balanced rooster stance, raising the spear high. The remaining three monsters circled warily, their glowing red eyes darting between me and their fallen companion. They weren’t retreating yet, but their hesitation was clear. I could feel the strain in my mana pathways now—this last minute had drained nearly half my reserves. My breathing was heavy, my focus razor-sharp. I couldn’t keep this up much longer—and since when could I fight like this?
A flicker of red caught my eye, so fast it seemed like a mirage. Even Valor hadn’t warned me. My head snapped toward the motion just in time to see a fifth Arbortrux tumble from the treeline. It rolled limply to a stop, completely motionless. A huge log rolled from its tail, poised like it had been ready to hurl it at me.
And there, perched on a rock like he owned the world, was Red. His goofy grin was unmistakable, his tongue lolling as he panted lightly. For a brief moment, a blazing orange aura surrounded him—bright, raw, and wild. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving Red looking as if nothing had happened at all. If not for Valor, I would have missed it. The way he sat on the rock—calm, proud, like a king surveying his domain—felt eerily familiar. Did the dog take out the giant beaver monster on his own?
The sight of the second dead monster was enough to break the will of the remaining ones. Their hesitation turned to full retreat as they scrambled back toward the trees, slipping and stumbling in the mud as they fled.
I straightened, lowering the spear as the tension drained from my body. Red tilted his head, wagging his tail as if to say, what took you so long?
Backing away from the retreating creatures, I could feel all eyes on me. Cass’s pained groans snapped me back to the moment, and I knelt beside her, calling on Valor. A deep blue energy jumped from my hand to her leg, crackling like static electricity. She tensed up, gasping as my mana reserves drained rapidly. I could feel the wound on her leg knitting together, the flow of mana pushing me closer and closer to empty.
The strain hit me hard—my body locking up as if I’d been hit with a live wire. My vision blurred, and I felt the Valor sigil shatter in my mind like glass, its resonance fading as I burned through the last of my mana reserves.
I barely had time to register the healing complete before the illusion of badassery crumbled completely. My eyes rolled back, and the world tilted. I felt the warm, wet mud rise to meet me as I passed out, utterly spent.