Derek suddenly found himself on the same battlefield except, instead of trolls on the other side, there were goblins. Immediately Derek started building spell formations he created a flat platform to work from. Then he built a dozen spell formations in a row before him and charged them with creating fireballs, launching them forward and repeating the process. He didn’t add in limiters, he just hoped that they would work. He put in an emergency shut off and if he stepped off the chalk line, the formations would stop working. The first volley of spells shot forward as the goblin leader blew its warhorn.
The spells slammed into the ranks as they charged forward. Goblins exploded as the fireballs exploded amongst the ranks. Hundreds of goblins died as they raced across the battlefield. His spell was effective, but the targeting system wasn’t and suddenly the goblins were under the barrage and free from the spell volleys. In a few seconds, they would come up the rise and be in range. But the goblins weren’t stupid and found the pattern, simply avoiding the spell. Derek started casting using spells on his own hitting them with spells as they entered his range. A pulsing wave of thunder and fire slammed against them as he continued to pour spell after spell into the goblin horde, but they reached him with a spear and the scenario restarted without warning.
It took Derek a couple of seconds to adjust to the abrupt reset. Using some of his experience to draw on battle tactics, as the enemy horde’s warhorn blew. He created fortifications by digging trenches around him and further out creating a pathway for the goblins to follow. Then an array of spell formation built around him as the goblins came up the rise. The spell formations started spewing out fireballs as Derek used his own magic striking down the goblins as they rushed forward.
The goblins fell into the first pit as the dozens of spell formations spewed hundreds of fireballs every minute. The goblins that didn’t fall into the pit were blown apart with the active destruction from the volley of spells. Not even a single goblin reached him before they were all dead or dying.
After only the two attempts, he was back in the library with the Primordial Sage. He hadn’t even finished the killing all the goblins when the battlefield disappeared.
“Well done, Derek.”
“Thanks, but that wasn’t exactly a challenge. Especially after all the non-magical combat training I’ve had.”
“Do you have a different scenario in mind that would allow you to advance your combat skills?”
“Yeah.” He answered and explained what he thought would be the perfect combat scenario.
It took some time before Derek was ready. He needed to develop some new magical attacks that would mesh with his fighting style. After a few days of magical testing, the Sage sent him back to the battlefield.
As the field appeared again, but this time he was facing trolls, wearing armor. He grimaced at this stage of the plan. A set of plate armor covered him, not that it would do much and the weapon adjusting rod was in his hands. He activated a spell he called Stone Skin. Stones ripped themselves from the ground and covered him like he was a magnet. Then he started in toward the enemy. The enemy charged, and he slammed into the front line at the same time. Derek released a wave of fire and thunder. His two-handed mace collapsed a troll’s chestplate.
Derek spun his weapon as it suddenly became wrapped in flames and electricity. The ruins on the weapon that held the spell formation were carved on the hallow handle. He wouldn’t be able to maintain the ruins when the weapon changed form. Another wave of flames and electricity blasted around him as he brought his mace back up and swirled it around him to slam it to the ground.
Stolen novel; please report.
Stone spike shot up around him as the force of the mace transferred earth energy into the ground, pulling stone spikes up around him in every direction, punching through the troll’s armor and bodies. He activated another spell that pulled earth from the ground, super-heated it, and sent it raining off in every direction. The magma splashed across the trolls in every location.
With his mana pool basically unlimited, he could keep casting spells as long as he wasn’t pinned down. The trolls stepped on those stuck on the stone spike, breaking the spikes and driving their fellow trolls into the ground as those behind used them as a platform to walk. Derek eagerly responded, letting go of his mace with one hand, he sent small firebolts at his enemies, while his second hand started building the momentum needed.
Derek grabbed the mace with his free hand and swinging it around like a golf club. It lifted stone from the ground and sent the high velocity shards toward the nearby trolls punching through their armor with the needle-like shards. If needles were as large as his little finger. The shards punched into the exposed faces of the trolls.
Moving to the next closest threat, Derek’s mace came around and slammed into a troll’s shoulder as it closed the distance. The fire and electricity cooked the troll inside its armor and a dull roar erupted from the troll as Derek moved to the next target. He released another wave of thunder and fire around him, sending the nearby trolls tumbling backwards.
Another spell erupted from him like a wave in every direction, sending arrows of ice in every direction. Derek jumped out of the ring of devastation, bringing his club down against the ground causing more stone spears to erupt from the ground to punch through more trolls.
Derek’s mace changed into an oversized flaming greatsword with runes carved up the side. The tip of the greatsword slammed into the ground because it was too heavy for him to lift. The runes were all that he could manage while in combat.
He activated Ravager’s Resolve. His body turned into an impossible obstacle. He hadn’t used this spell since he had a physical ability of 22, now that he had broken through the human limits and was at 34 not even the mighty strength of the trolls could handle him. He had gotten a solid understanding of his own limits during the previous battlefield trial. Now he knew exactly how to leverage that strength. The pure momentum and force he could generate while under Ravager’s Resolve was far, far above what a troll could handle.
The flaming greatsword fueled by an out of control ritual spell spun across the battlefield carving melting armor on contact troll flesh wasn’t even a hinderance. The slaughter continued as he carved his way across the battlefield, activating his wave of thunder and fire at opportune moments.
Ravager’s Resolve ended way too quickly and the greatsword turned into his pry bar before he lost his momentum. The trolls still came at him regardless of how much destruction he caused. A troll knocked him across the battlefield until he stopped rolling when he hit a corpse. Back on his feet, he was back to crushing trolls in an instant.
The pain was not pleasant, but it didn’t cause any lasting damage and he could brush it off without concern. Keeping his mind in the fight as well as his body. A barrage of ice launched themselves from Derek’s outstretched hand as he climbed back to his feet. Returning to the melee, his pry bar was spinning the moment he stepped off the ground and wave after wave of magic ended the lives of trolls everywhere.
The fight lasted for days, but came to an end as Derek pulled the pry end of his pry bar from the chest of a troll. He looked around at the bloody battlefield and sighed in relief.
The battlefield disappeared, and Derek found himself back in the library with the Primordial Sage.
“You warriors are so messy.” The Sage commented. “You did well for what spells you had available. I’m sure you understand how important it is to have magical runes on your weapons. Magical tools are just as important as being able to form the spells themselves. Even if you are fighting at the back line, having tools to help build your rituals can reduce the needed preparation.”
“I figured that out about thirty seconds into combat when I wanted to change my weapon. Of course, real world combat will be drastically different from the simulated combat.”
“Good luck, young Elementalist and safe travels.” The Primordial Sage said as the world faded around Derek returning him to Earth.