Chapter Ten: Giant Swamp Pigeons
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Herded into groups, each led by a senior student, they stood at the barn-sized exit of the station. A woman with deep brown eyes and a stern expression took the lead. Her long, violet dress, embroidered with a gold phoenix, shimmered with every movement, tied at the waist with a gleaming golden belt. The fabric, soft and graceful, swayed as she stepped forward, her sandals whispering against the stone.
A large ruby, suspended from a gold chain, rested low on her chest, catching the light and reflecting a fiery glow. Her hair, pinned up neatly, accentuated her strong features, exuding authority and grace. As she moved, the phoenix seemed to come alive, its wings flickering with life, mirroring the intensity in her gaze.
Two men stood beside her wearing tunics, one in deep blue, the other in dark green, each embroidered with different symbols and belted at the waist with a silver cord. They wore simple sandals and had their hair neatly trimmed.
When she spoke, her voice was magically amplified, drowning out all other sounds. “My name is Demi, I’m an upper classman, and I’ll be your guide. Welcome to Mount Olympus. Please stay together as we make our way to the University. We have a bit of a trek ahead, so conserve your stamina."
She led the group through the large door into the open air. The path was steep and winding as they made their way up the mountain. Jace felt the burn in his legs, each step a reminder of his physical limits. Thirty minutes passed in near silence, the air filled with the sounds of nature and the occasional murmur of conversation. The surrounding landscape was lush, ancient stone pathways weaving through ruins that whispered of a storied past.
The crowd slowed as they approached a faint, glowing barrier. It hummed with energy, a radiant, prismatic light shimmering before them, forming a tangible threshold. As they drew nearer, the air thickened with a crackling charge, and one by one, they hesitantly stepped through, feeling a brief resistance as the barrier parted around them, enveloping each in its luminous embrace before releasing them into the other side.
Demi stood confidently outside the boundary, allowing the students to pass her. "Everyone, gather inside the line. Stay close," she instructed. The new students obeyed, faces a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
As Jace crossed the boundary, he tasted a metallic tang and felt a moment of dizziness before his senses returned to normal.
"Teaching moment. You are now entering the Fourth Zone of the University. The force you just felt is a monster repellent, designed to keep out the most threatening creatures. Smaller ones can still make it through. Picture the zones as a series of nets or filters. Initially, the largest monsters are filtered out, allowing the weaker ones to pass. As you move into the next zone, it filters out the largest remaining threats, and so on, until you reach Zone One, which is free of all malicious beasts."
Demi held up a large, glowing amethyst, its light pulsing rhythmically. "This is a Ward Shard, or Beast Repellent, and keeps us from being eaten alive. It is a minor version of the Great Heart Shard that protects the university. While these forests might seem safe, they are anything but. We use these while out and about, outside of M.O.U’s protections or in a zone above our rank."
The stone's glow intensified. "Now, I will stay on the outside of the fourth zone barrier, and you stay on that side of the barrier. I will shut off my Protection Shard." She chanted an incantation, and the purple stone dimmed and went dark, disappearing into a bag concealed within her dress. The group stood just inside the boundary, the forest suddenly darker and colder, the sun blocked by the canopy of trees.
The ground trembled slightly, distant roars echoing through the trees, growing louder and closer. Each one sent a shiver down Jace’s spine. "Here they come," Demi's eyes fixed on the dark forest.
From the shadows emerged a massive creature, metallic feathers glinting in the faint light. Its long, razor-sharp beak and talons seemed capable of rending stone. The creature's eyes glowed a sinister red, full of malevolent intelligence. As it moved, the ground trembled under its heavy, clawed feet. The air pulsed with a primal energy.
The creature unleashed an ear-piercing screech, its wings spreading wide, casting an ominous shadow over Demi. With predatory grace, it lunged toward her, claws outstretched. Demi stood firm, her hands empty. “Come on, you overgrown swamp pigeon.” The air crackled with tension as she moved with fluid elegance, each step a dance of combat.
"Now, they're technically called Stymphalian Birds," her tone turned more instructional as she fought, splitting her attention between the metallic winged beast and the class. "And they are pretty far from home. According to legend, they are fierce, people-eating birds that can launch their feathers like deadly arrows. Their dung is also highly toxic, capable of killing crops and poisoning the land."
As she spoke, the bird launched a series of metal feathers at her. She dodged them, and they flew toward the students, stopping on the shimmering barrier.
Demi's eyes narrowed, and she uttered a strange sound. The ruby on her chest floated higher, glowing brighter, before releasing a burst of energy. From this radiance, a sword materialized, drawn from an invisible sheath. The blade shimmered with a silvery light, its edge razor-sharp and etched with intricate runes that pulsed with a life of their own.
The bird lunged, its claws slashing through the air. Demi dodged with effortless grace, her newly summoned sword flashing as she struck. Sparks erupted from each clash, her movements precise and deadly. She spun, ducked, and struck again, her speed and elegance a mesmerizing display.
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Demi’s blade danced in the dim light of the forest, a silvery arc of precision and deadly grace. Her voice was calm and measured, interwove with each swing.
"Creatures and items are ranked by the Metal Star System," she began, her sword slicing through the air. “Rankings range from Bronze to Gold, and Star Ranks One-Six, and then to mythic metals. Bronze One Star, or Bronze One, is your weakest, or most common monster or item. Silver One is an entirely different tier and would be a tough match for someone at Bronze Five, but not impossible. You see a Gold One, run for your life. Actually, you are probably already dead, unless you are in later stages of Silver or with a large enough party."
“What rank are you, Miss, Demi?” A student called out hesitantly, but she was ignored as Demi danced to the side, easily evading the lunging bird, like a matador teasing a rampaging bull.
"Your HUD shows these ranks if you level up your Inspect skill. Be cautious, though—using items or facing creatures above your rank is risky. You'll need to rank up to wield them effectively."
Her muscles noticeably tightened, not growing but gaining more solidity. Jace was taken aback when the bird lunged at her, its talons scraping against her skin like it was stone. Minor indents marred her now marble form before vanishing, leaving only a small scratch. Demi advanced, her blade gleaming in the dim light.
The watching students cringed as one when the Stymphalian Bird let out a piercing screech as it quickly recovered, launching itself at her. Demi dodged, her movements a seamless blend of combat and instruction. Jace could almost see the magic thrumming through her veins, a steady rush of power and purpose emanating from her as she fought the metal bird.
Jace watched as her breath fell into a steady rhythm, a contrast to the frantic flapping of the beast's wings. With a swift motion, she slashed at the bird, forcing it back.
The bird lunged again, its beak aiming for her throat. Demi stood her ground, her eyes narrowing. She spoke something unintelligible, some form of incantation, and a torrent of flame erupted from her outstretched hand, engulfing the creature. The fire blazed with an intense ruby hue, its heat overwhelming even from a distance. The Stymphalian Bird screeched in agony, its metallic feathers melting and curling under the searing onslaught.
Demi held her stance, her eyes locked onto the beast until the flames subsided. Demi twirled, her sword a blur.
“In answer to your previous question, I am a Silver One, having two Words of Power at Rank One and I am in my final year at M.O.U. Gain enough skill and power to pass the Graduation Exam and well, that's graduation day."
With a final, swift slice, Demi decapitated the beast, its head separating cleanly from its body. The creature's fall was met with stunned silence, then awestruck murmurs.
“That was a Bronze Five Star monster,” she remarked, a faint bar hovering above the creature’s head. Jace inspected it.
Creature Inspection Success
Basic Information Received
Stymphalian Bird; aka Giant Swamp Pigeon
Bronze 5, Tiered Foe
Strengths: Metallic feathers, bronze beak and poisonous dung; Flock Hunter.
Attacks: Peck, Claw, and Screech.
Status Effects: None
Weaknesses: Unknown.
Demi smiled, her breath steady despite the exertion. From the shadows, two more birds emerged. And then another two, their piercing screeches slicing through the air. Jace and the others clapped their hands to their ears, desperate to block the sound. The barrier held back the feathers, but not the noise.
Without hesitation, Demi prepared to fight again. Despite her skill, the relentless assault and overwhelming numbers forced her to retreat. With a final, graceful spin, she crossed the boundary, the beast’s claws mere inches from her chest. The protective barrier shimmered faintly.
The birds slammed against it, their frustration palpable. They clawed and pecked at the invisible wall, their shrieks filled with rage.
Demi stood just inside the line, catching her breath. She turned to the crowd, bowing with a flourish as they erupted in applause. She waved at the beasts now frantically assaulting the barrier.
"Remember," she said, her voice steady despite the lingering noise. "Mastery isn't just about power. It's about knowing when to advance and when to retreat."
With that, she spun and continued hiking up the steep hill; the crowd following behind her.
An hour passed, and the pace slowed, students panting and sweating.
Couldn't they have put in an elevator or something? Jace thought, frustration bubbling up.
"How much further?" asked a stout dwarf, wiping his brow.
"Not too far now," Demi replied, her voice carrying an edge of determination.
“Zone two includes a lot of the surrounding areas—cabins, homes, farms, and so on. This is where most of the locals live. There are monsters there too, but they’re lower tier, rarely exceeding Bronze Two Stars. It’s a place where newer Travelers and Terra Mythica Citizens can get accustomed to dealing with threats without constantly dying.”
"And then there’s zone one, the inner campus. That’s where you’re safe from everything except your own stupidity. The magic protections are strongest there, ensuring that even the most novice of students can study and train without constant fear of attack."
Jace exchanged glances with Dex and Ell, who walked beside him. Dex seemed unfazed by the climb, while Ell looked equally determined despite the strain.
"Seen Alice around?" Jace scanned the group but saw no sign of her.
"Not since the ship," Dex replied.