Chapter 37: Wisdom +1

My knees began to buckle at the pressure of the raging fire. I was able to hold it up, preventing the blaze from burning the platform as well as us. Yet, the pressure from the Inferno members pouring their mana into the attack continued to build up. A soldier wielding a crossbow took aim at me as Caroline conjured a knife of water, working on her husband’s and Timothy’s binding ropes.

The soldiers on the sidelines were hesitant to approach, not wanting to be swept up into the flames of the Inferno. That provided us the opportunity to be released, except for the fact that they had ranged attacks, too. The soldier shot at me with his crossbow, and I tried to will some fire to intercept it, but the bolt easily pierced through the little I could move. However, the bolt didn’t even pierce my armor.

The flames came ever closer towards the platform as I fell to a knee, the rebels quickly getting down and scrambling off the platform. They were free now and I was left with the problem of where this increasingly massive cylinder of fire would be diverted. Most of the damage from the flame would occur when it crashed into wherever it was meant, with the residual fire being more of a damage over time. That was just how fire worked. As long as I wasn’t swept into the mana-fueled rush of flames, the damage over time wouldn’t affect me much.

Since the soldiers were surrounding the area, I let the flame crash around and in front of me, leaving a way out behind me. Some of it fell onto the sides of the platform, immediately catching the wood on fire, then flowed out onto the ground towards the soldiers and the Inferno pyromancers. I stepped back off of the platform as the flow of fire was diverted and the enemy avoiding it. The only soldiers aware of the backside being free of flame were the ones at the backside.

The soldiers had weapons, and the rebels did not, except for Caroline being able to wield some water-type magic. Likewise, I was without my weapon and shield. They were behind the Inferno members, which meant that if I wanted to grab them, which I did want to do, I would have to rush through the enemy. Luckily for me, the enemy was dealing with fire and I could take some fire damage to go get them.

So, I let the rebels be as I ran around the platform towards the table at the far end. I wasn’t feeling a lot of pain from the fire, so I was certain I wasn’t taking too much damage. The fire did keep the soldiers at bay but the Inferno had stopped putting more pressure in it, instead trying to regain control of the flames. I ran straight into the table, reaching over to reach my ‘Vanquisher’ and ‘Kite of Biding Eruption’. These were my most reliable friends in this game, and I was certainly glad I had them back.

Then, I returned to the rebels, placing a {Mana Bolt} in four soldiers who were focused on keeping us from leaving. Not many words were exchanged beyond the yelling of the soldiers. We just ran away from the area, passing by the buildings. I slowed my pace to make sure I wasn’t running ahead of them; they knew the way to wherever we were going, I did not.

I took a quick glance behind me, noticing the number of soldiers chasing us increased. Timothy, Caroline, and Vesin turned the corner up ahead and I quickly followed suit. Just as I was about to turn, I heard a shout, “Get down!”

My eyes caught Vesin throwing himself over Caroline, pulling her to the ground as a fully-plated soldier sliced horizontally with a halberd. He was giant, probably nearing eight feet tall, and cleaved straight through Timothy before his swing came to completion, digging itself into the side of the building. The armor was a deep red and looked very knightly, with a dragon rising from the top of the helmet.

I didn’t worry much about Timothy’s death as he would be respawned after completion of the floor, and he didn’t seem to be a character who would further my quest. Instead of worrying, I loaded ‘Vanquisher’ with a 20 mana bolt, immediately firing it at the giant soldier.

A light blue, shimmering oval appeared before him, however, causing the bolt to turn into residual mana. Another person wearing deep red robes was visible now, assumedly the one who cast the magic barrier. Her voice was soft, alluring even, “Oh, sweet Caroline. The king demands he sees you. Whether dead or alive, it matters not.”

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The large soldier pulled his halberd out of the wall, letting out a deep grunt as he swung it down towards Vesin’s back. I began to move in towards the two enemies—at least one of these two needed to survive so I could find the other rebels, and more importantly, Madelyn.

Though it seemed like Caroline had it under control as her hands wrapped around her husband and from them, a shield of water interrupted the incoming blade. The two weren’t in a position to move as one was lying on the other, and it also didn’t look like the shield could last too much longer as the giant soldier continued pressing his weight into the attack.

I made my way around them, having shrouded myself in shadows during my movement. The mage walked over to where the three were entangled in their mess, wrapping fire around her hands, “Sweet Caroline, so strong—but not strong enough, are you?” She gripped the man’s halberd, fire entwining itself up the pole into the blade, and steam started rising from the shield. She had a wicked smile on her face as she slowly started adding pressure alongside the giant, edging the blade through the shield just a bit faster.

{Sudden Slumber}. My fingertips slid between her robe and hood, touching her neck before she collapsed to the floor. The giant was alarmed at my sudden presence directly beside him and I held onto his halberd, jerking it up and away from the shield while the fire began climbing up me. Though my weapons and armor scaled off Luck, my raw power still seemed to scale with Strength, and I was unable to contend once the giant pushed me with the halberd. I made sure to keep my legs wide so I wouldn’t fall and held on as Caroline and Vesin were able to scurry up.

I heard a sudden snap as an arrow flew past me into the giant soldier’s armor. I lost focus for a second and that was all that was needed for the giant to squat and force his full height, throwing me away from him. Another arrow came landing beside me, sparking up the gravel on the ground. That doesn’t seem to be my reinforcements, shit. At least his aim is worse than mine.

I looked at where the arrows were coming from; a person was perched on one of the buildings with an arrow lodged in their bow—the tip aflame. He fired it quickly, this one not for me as it headed past the couple that the giant returned focus on, forcing them to halt their escape. Then, enemy soldiers who had finally caught up started cutting off their exit.

Caroline brought up some protective water, orb-like as it encased the two. She was breathing heavily and her husband seemed quite useless. I whipped ‘Vanquisher’ towards the enemy sniper, launching a {Mana Bolt} at him, but they released an arrow which actually intercepted my own bolt.

“Glory to the King. Honor for the Sun.” And it seems like the Inferno is here, too. Fuck.

“Death to the rebels!”

“For the King!”

“The King’s champions are holding the rebels down!”

The shouting increased. I swapped ‘Vanquisher’ into ‘Ashen Gladius’ after firing off another bolt, this time towards the giant. Again, it failed. The magic barrier still seemed active and not a one-time effect. So, I slashed at him instead, instantly feeling a powerful rebound as I was thrown back by the barrier. I turned over to sit up, but my body lurched as I coughed up blood. My armor was fine but my insides were pulsating in pain.

Bolts and arrows, swords and axes, the giant’s halberd; all of them were hitting away at the water barrier. Her defense was definitely powerful. Someone shot one of the paralyzing shooters at the barrier, but it didn’t do anything. Another person then tried to shoot one at me, but I quickly moved out of the way, entering the shadows as fast as I could.

I didn’t have the power to help here. The number of enemies kept increasing. I watched the two inside their barrier, holding steadfastly. The rebound was much worse than I expected. If I attacked now, I would also break out of the shadows. I may end up failing the quest, but the NPCs would just refresh. If I left them… it’d be okay, right?

Now that I gave it a thought, how did they end up getting caught? She was obviously strong. Unless they held some weakness of hers, they couldn’t have ended up getting caught. At least… not simply.

Soldiers began charging the two. No, they… were fleeing. They began ignoring them and ran past them, escaping from the entrapment of other soldiers any way they could. Confusion spread through the crowd, but the two rebels held firm within the barrier.

Then, I saw the cause.

Water pounded into a building before the flow changed, now heading down the road towards all of us. Soldiers were swept into it; the Inferno couldn’t stop it with their fire. I tried to run as well, but the pain from the rebound pinged evermore. The flood didn’t stop as it continued onwards, taking down all it ran into. It went past the two rebels, unknown what became of them as the water appeared before me.

Yet, it didn’t take me. I could feel it rushing past me, through me, but I was unharmed and unmoving. I could see the caught soldiers flailing around in it. They passed me, and I could see the giant trying his best not to be swept into it as well.

I couldn’t see my health, but when I was in the water, I started feeling revitalized. Caroline and Vesin stayed where they were as well, allowing the water to flow past them. The whole experience was something I had nothing felt before.

Eventually, the water level fell. The soldiers were all gone, the giant one as well. Footsteps started sounding off in the distance, the water splishing and splashing. Around the corner turned a woman, decorated in blue. Behind her was a cape of flowing water, and her hair, which was widely gray, draped near her calves. Her face was scarred numerously, as were her bare arms, but her eyes were what caught my attention. They were as deep as the ocean, and the milky blue swirled within, but they were exceedingly calm.

I knew who she was, and Caroline ran in her direction.

“Mother!” she cried out.

And along with that came my vision being overtaken.

[System: Quest complete. You have gained Wisdom: +1.]

[System: The learning shall continue.]