Woodsmoke hit Kaden in the eyes the moment he stepped into the ground-house, which was long and low and surprisingly warm. Everyone here wore a [Letidyr], but theirs were different colors, different lengths of fur, different patterns. Men cooked over heatstones or smoked fish over twig fires. Kaden threaded his way through the crowded ground-house.
He wasn’t worried about an ambush. There wasn’t room to attack. Near the far end, a round table stood, and there, beserkers gathered. As Kaden approached, a pair stood, a younger man and woman. The woman was wide as Kaden, the man twice so, and both had an inch on him in height. They wore heavy plate leather over their furs, and the man’s head was shaved bald, while the woman’s was so blond it almost matched Eve’s.
The woman offered Kaden a handshake. “Hildur. What do you want?”
“We’re the new party stationed with the Resyr,” Kaden said. “I just wanted to say hello. Also to make it clear we’re not interested in shooting arrows at anyone if someone stumbles the wrong direction.”
Almar spat. “So you’re spineless as the Resyr. It’s a good match, enjoy your battle against the [Frost.] It’s a losing war and we can’t retreat through some magic portal. Don’t go north or east. East are surly and mean, north, they’ll come to all of us in time.”
“Actually,” Sara said, standing a bit taller, “I’m here as a representative of the Mercari. You own a portion of their debt. I’ve already cleared the Resyr, I’d like to offer you the same opportunity.”
“If you want gold, you’re heading north east to deal with the Tun. What little gold we received went to wood for repairing ships,” Hildur said. She didn’t threaten, just stated it as a cold fact. “If you have other ideas about how to collect, we’ll fight you blood and bone.”
“Perfect, because that’s precisely what I have,” Sara said, heedless of the implications. “You have no gold, but the Resyr have only a small bay. Our trading fleet will arrive within weeks. I could settle your debt and restore trading privileges if you guarantee them safe harbor. I’d like to have a regular trade route.”
“Do you have [Fire Soul] potions or not?” Their guard spoke out of turn, then looked down, ashamed.
Trella hadn’t responded, which wasn’t a good sign. But Kaden could put enough fo the pieces of the puzzle to ask the right questions. “My best friend is an alchemist, I’ll speak with her about it but for now, no, we don’t. Your party mentioned [Frost.] What are they talking about?”
Almar’s stance softened. He’d held himself stiff and tall, and now, his shoulders dropped. “You were really plunged head first. This whole continent was once a proving ground, the Ice Mana domain. The domain kept growing stronger. Now, at night, portals errupt from the domain and creatures of Ice Mana pour out.”
“That’s why you’re here,” Hildur said. “Despite our name ‘beserkers,’ we’re not monsters. We speak as much as we fight, because the cost is so high. Though the Resyr are so weak, they won’t have a choice but to ask you to stand in their stead. The monsters from that domain have a status effect, [Frost] that can only be countered by [Fire Soul] potions.”
Sara seemed surprised—and almost shaken—by this revelation. “We’ll consult with our Alchemist. About my offer. It stands. Safe harbor for our ships, working with the Resyr to transfer our cargo, in exchange for restoring trade privileges.”
Hildur shook her head. “We have no deal until I’m certain you can help. We’ve lost too many of ours to [Frost]. Until they are unearthed, there will be no deals. If your ships come and they have no potions, they will not come here.”
Sara turned and headed out without asking more. She didn’t speak as they headed east over the hills and back toward the river which was probably the dividing line in summer. “Trella hasn’t responded?”
Kaden shook his head. “I’ve never heard of those but I’m not the Alchemist. We can send her through the FarPortal and have her buy the potions, but how is this making anyone money? Aren’t we supposed to be recovering money?”
“We are.” Sara’s horrors worked to help her up the hill while Kaden struggled, so she could speak. “But there’s no gold to recover there. Sometimes, an agreement is as good as gold. Getting the Resyr trading again, getting the Skan to provide harbor, it’s worth as much as gold they don’t have.”
“Two ships could easily have harbored with the Resyr.”
“It’s better for business if everyone has a hand in it. The more people invested in making sure this succeeds, the better. I’ll explain when the others are here. I’m more worried about this ‘Frost.’” Sara picked up her pace, moving faster and faster.
This far north, sunset came sooner, and before Kaden and Sara could reach the Resyr village, a gout of green light lanced upward into the sky. It twisted like the roots of a giant tree, bending to other strands. Behind them, a blue strand arced from the Skan settlement, and far north, a bright red one straightup toward the center.
It left Kaden feeling small in a very large world, and happy to be there that moment.
“We should keep moving. Night isn’t far off,” Sara said. “The day is so short, we need to get comfortable hunting, or at least surviving the night spawn here.”
Kaden sent the Falcrow to scout as they crossed frozen fields to the Resyr village. He waved to Eve as she stood outside a groundhouse. “Enjoying the show?”
“It’s magnificent. I’ve witnessed the arrival of a Goddes. Every year, Varun would descend at the solstice to her temple. This is better. We need to talk. Ashi’s huddled inside, she needs a source of fire mana or she’s not going to make it here.” Eve dropped her tone and stepped closer. “And I’ve resurrected five of their ‘warriors.’ There’s a status effect called [Frost] that’s impossible to remove.”
“I sent a message to Trella,” Kaden said.
“She’s been working ever since in the fifth groundhouse down. Talk to her, I’ve never seen her so determined.” Eve went back to studying the sky.
Kaden found Trella underground, alone, in a room that stank of dried fish and mold, with her alchemy lab set up on a table and four different flasks bubbling. “You got my message?”
“Of course! Niemen sent me the recipe for [Fire Soul] potions, they’re tier two, so it’s possible, but it’s an essence inversion potion, which I haven’t made.” Trella said it like it meant something. Then watched Kaden and explained. “Fire Soul nullifies almost all cold-based status effects, but it’s not from magma or something sensible. You have to acquire Essence Fragments from beasts and invert them, it’s the only way to get enough power.”
The pieces of the puzzle began to click. “This is an ice domain. Supposedly there are monsters from the domain that spawn at night. I’m placing bets that those monsters give up Essence Fragments.”
Trella nodded. “Here’s the catch. To gather essence, you can’t melt them or ash them or shock them, they need to be smashed or chopped. I talked with several of the Resyr. Their biggest problem is the [Ulf] coming for their livestock. The domain creatures don’t spawn for several miles north.”
Sara drank it all in. “If we got you essence shards, you could make potions?”
“Absolutely,” Trella’s Deception said, since she’d gone back to work. “Get us lots of shards. There are bound to be accidents.”
“Smashed. Sounds a lot like a job for someone with a hammer,” Sara said.
“Hold on.” Trella turned off all three burners. “Before you go planning, before we start saying who’s going to do what, you need to understand. Ashi listened to them while Eve was healing the Resyr. Much as you might want to hunt these domain creatures, and much as I want to do it with you, the Resyr need help here, first.”
Kaden sent the Falcrow to Eve and Ashi. Ashi came first, triggering her mana stones to flush red for a moment. “It is hard to function here, but I will not be pushed away.”
In a flash of brilliance, Kaden summoned Burney. “All you need is a constant source of Fire Mana, right? Meet a constant source of fire mana.”
Ashi cupped her hands around the [Match Lizard]. “I swear before the system, I will never eat you on bread. Not even without bread. With this, I will wield fire against these creatures.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Heard and acknowledged. Asha vanter opton Rahm will never receive a talent by eating this particular Match Lizard.
Burney wasn’t enlightened. The lizard’s intellect had all the depth of a pie plate, but it did understand the concept of burning, being allowed to burn, being praised for burning, and then probably burning something else. And yet, the [Match Lizard] exuded a feeling of pleasure at Ashi’s declaration. It was, after all, the King.
“All right. Ashi will keep me honest, but the Resyr bought into the whole ‘trade is power’ bit the Mercari were selling. And now that trade ain’t power, they’re in trouble.” Trella looked to Ashi, who nodded. “And for the last month, the only thing they do have to trade has been getting killed left and right. Those blizzard cows are meat, fur, milk, and an absolute meal for the wolves here.”
“These aren’t wolves like Gloom Wolves,” Eve added. “Each is the size of a boss monster. It’s said they ignore weapons. They hunt in groups called Paws, and each paw has five wolves.”
“And they are emboldened,” Ashi added. “Night after night of feasting have made them confident.”
Everything Kaden had learned about predators, and consulted [Beast Knowledge]. “Then the highest priority is taking away that confidence. Sara, you worked Pest Patrol on several occasions. You know what I’m thinking?”
“Traps.” Sara said it with pleasure. “Traps. And poison, we should use Thorn Caster. And [Agony Cloud]. If we get the chance to kill, that’s just good luck, but wounded, poisoned wolves will quickly move on.”
“I will try binding them, but if I can’t, we’ll handle them.” Kaden stood and stretched. “I have traps to build. Where’s Drokor? I need information.”
The next few hours passed in a flurry of activity as Trella brewed potions and Kaden worked to understand where his traps would work best. The center [Makur] pen was rarely a target, but the calving pens were regularly hit, doubling the injury.
Tonight, Kaden wanted to ensure there would be a price paid for every Makur taken, ever. [Glass Spider] webbing lay in layers across the entrances to the calfing pen. Trella had bound [Agony Cloud] potions to either end, and Ashi had used Geo mana to dig in the frozen soil. The Resyr said their enemies were smart, so Kaden had gone for a particularly brutal solution. A tripline of thick rope would trigger pop-waddlers, but the triplines stood right against the pits, where Sara had broken ice into razor sharp spikes.
As the moon rose over the far horizon, Drokor called them. “We are grateful for your resurrections and healing, but this is different. The [Ulf] are clever and vicious enemies. Fully armed parties of Beserkers think before challenging them.”
Kaden passed Thorn Caster to Trella, who’d frozen ladder rungs onto the ice walls. “Poison them. Are you sure they’ll come?”
Drokor pointed to the calfing pen, where a lone [Makur] calf cried. “The mother was taken last night. It will die within days, but its sorrow will bring the [Ulf]. Jusar tells us of your plan to hunt the domain Beasts. If your [Alchemist] can create [Fire Soul] potions, it will bring all the tribes to your door.”
“To your door,” Sara said. “I can give you the chance. I can’t make you take advantage of it. I want to see these [Ulf]. I want to face them. If I bleed, they will bleed to.”
Kaden focused on the orphaned [Makur], binding it. [Beast Soul] told him exactly what was wrong, not that he needed it. Many beasts bonded with their offspring, and this one’s bond was permanently severed. The pen wasn’t well protected. It might well die, but if it did, it would be the last.
“Kaden.” Eve approached. “I have a new skill I want to use on you. It’s a lesser form of Nurav’s Blessing. My own blessing. The bonuses aren’t as intense, but they only apply when you make enemies bleed. I’ll share the description.”
[Blood Blessing]
Grant a blessing that increases damage when the recipient makes enemies bleed. Recipients may sacrifice health for increased damage.
Kaden read it over. Dosing Remembrance with [Bleed] was standard practice. “Is this going to kill me?”
“Absolutely not. The [Ulfs], I make no promises about. I’ll be behind Sara the whole way. Ashi will back you up. Do you want the blessing?” Eve asked.
“Please.” Kaden waited.
You have received the Blessing of a Priestess (Evelyn Black). When you inflict [Bleed] on enemies, your damage will be boosted. You may sacrifice a percentage of your health for a damage boost that matches your sacrifice. Surrendering this boost or blessing will not restore the health without healing.
Perfect. “Is Sara accepting it?”
“She has too many memories of you weeping blood on Harrigan’s ship. This will be different. I will make it different.”
“I believe you. Get in position, the [Ulf] could come at any time.” Kaden would prefer to have Trinity beside him but none of his beasts were suited for bitter cold. Trinity would die. Rocky would be so miserable he wouldn’t fight. The [Falcrow] wasn’t a battler, and Skully’s bones would be terribly brittle. It was an opportunity to find something stronger and better. Maybe an [Ulf].
“A prepared battle is the best battle,” Ashi said. “I have walked the grounds and practiced portal locations. Your [Match Lizard] will bask in glory as I burn these [Ulf].”
Conversation died as a long howl echoed over the frozen wastes. Sara unslung both swords and studied the entrance to the pen, while Kaden wrapped Ashi and Eve in [Stealth Aura].
A low bird whistle told him Trella had spotted something, the [Makur] began to bellow and push against the coral walls. The orphan cried ever louder, despite Kaden’s efforts to calm it through the bond.
Orange eyes opened in the darkness, and Kaden gasped. He just wasn’t prepared for how large the [Ulf] would be. The Beast’s shoulder was as tall as Kaden, its head as wide as him.
[Ulf Scout]
These ulf are fast and sleek, built for finding prey and leading the Paw to it. Less adapted to fighting, the Ulf scouts are always ahead or behind the pack, striking before they melt into the darkness. This particular ulf came for [Makur] but has found additional free meat.
*Pleased.*
The Beast threw back its head and loosed a short howl that cut off as it bounded forward—and screamed in agony as [Glass Spider] nets sheared its nose from its head and left gashes. The monster stumbled, and an arrow blossomed in its gut—and another—and another.
Three stacks of poison was a death sentence, but Kaden wasn’t waiting, he rushed the wounded monster, bringing Remembrance’s hammer head down on its skull. The hammer sang out, vibrating with sheer power as it struck.
You have stunned an opponent. Your opponent will be [Stunned] for (2) seconds.
“These are too large to take on directly,” Sara called. “That’s a scout.”
The scout had never anticipated the traps. It spasmed as Kaden delivered another blow—and another, even as Sara switched to her bow.
“Conserve mana!” Kaden shouted as Ashi blasted it with a fireball. He didn’t begrudge her XP, but this enemy was already ruined. Blind in one eye, in sheer agony, it couldn’t even dodge as Kaden brought Remembrance’s axe down on its spine and triggered the pent-up blows.
You have defeated an Ulf.
You have gained experience.
Kaden immediately triggered [Field Harvest] and collected 1x Ulf hide and 20x Ulf Claw. He wanted to reset the webbing traps, but moving through that zone would be just as dangerous to him in the dark.
*Two more circling the pen,* Sara sent, *[Ulf Strikers], they’re the hunters of the pack.*
Quick as he could, Kaden sprinted forward the orphaned Makur. Pack hunters split up to divert attention from a third strike, that was standard behavior. If the strikers moved away, then at any moment—
Whoosh!
The [Agony Cloud] at the closest end of the entrance exploded. A pitch-black [Ulf] rolled free of the cloud, wheezing.
[Ulf Stalker]
These are the assassins of the paw. If the scout finds the prey and the strikers drive it, it is the stalker who waits unseen to strike when the prey believes itself free. This striker does not understand how it was found in deep stealth. *Confusion*
“[Big Boom!]” Ashi shouted. A lance of fire burned deep into the side of the stalker, which leaped to the side, smoking, and attempted to sink into [Stealth], only to find Trella’s arrows lodged in its back.
Sara moved to reposition herself with Eve behind her.
[Plague] already buzzed about the stalker, and Sara had switched, using her secondary class’s [Lunge] to move into range and strike. Blood gushed from its nose and eyes, and the Horror’s psuedopods nipped forward, feigning attacks.
The real damage came from poison, which Trella continued to rain down.
A wall of flame materialized in front of Ashi, encircling the stalker ulf and converging inward. It screamed—then froze as Sara struck. Lightning blasted down her swords. [Shocking Grasp] left the stalker paralyzed even as it burned.
Kaden couldn’t focus on that battle, because in the darkness beyond the [Makur] pen, something else had revealed itself, snuffling to drink in the smell of its kin-blood and ash. Kaden dropped into [Stealth Aura] and focused on the beast.
[Ulfen - Ulf Boss]
This paw is led by an ulfen, strongest, most cunning and dangerous. He knows reason, revenge and fear, and plans attacks. Most dangerous his its ability to coordinate with paw-mates to form an unceasing chain of attacks. He is death in the night for all he sets sights on. Curious, that he has not yet set sights on you.
Before it could lunge, Kaden sent the [Falcrow] swooping down to claw at the ulfen’s eyes. After all, as boss, it was never used to being the one attacked.
*Boss inbound!* Kaden sent to Trella, trusting her to choose targets.
You have helped defeat an ulf.
You have gained experience.
The ulfen roared in rage, probably sensing the pack-bond dropping, and charged for the pen, where Ashi, Eve and Sara would be trapped in close quarters. With [Moment of Speed] Kaden leaped over the railing and swung Remembrance’s axe head downward.
It met the ulfen as its front paws hit the snow, on the foreleg.
Crippling Strikes has inflicted a permanent injury.
The ulfen tried to pivot to attack Kaden, but its wounded leg crumpled, and it flew right through the pop-waddler trip line and fell into the trap pit.
“[Lava Burst]” Ashi shouted, spraying a thin stream of molten rock. “I am out of mana!”
[Mana Well] let him gift her more, while Trella offered poisonous ruin from her perch high above.
“I’ve got poison stacks on the other two, just let them bleed!” Trella called.
A low rumble shook the ground, and the Ulfen rose, bleeding everywhere. It crawled up out of the pit-trap, limping as the front leg hung useless. It threw back its head and howled—and stars began to fall, multicolored stars that whistled down, sizzling in the snow.
[Ulfen] has used [Ancestral Call].
The ulfen has sacrificed its remaining days for assistance in gaining revenge.
Some of the color drained off to the Ulfen, but more of it rose as three wolf-shaped forms, two red and one green.
[Ulf Ancestral Watcher]
The watchers were ulfen once, but when their trail ended, they found a new one among the stars, keeping watch over their kin. Now they have returned to deal with a threat to their way of life. The cost of coming is vast, the price for remaining is steep, but the determination has been made, you must not know another dawn.
There was bad and there was worse.
This was worse.