A tree stood, its trunk wider than any building I'd ever lived in. Roots stretched out for meters on every side, creating limited spots where the dirt was visible. Its canopy hung far above the rest of the forest, casting a looming shadow over its roots and the surrounding woods.

"Your home is beautiful." I stared in awe.

"What?! No!" They shouted out, clearly distracted by their formless friends.

They ran to the opposite side of the tree, jumping off and over roots as if the waist-high chunks of wood weren't even there. I followed suit, much slower, however, until we came across the backside of the tree. A fire burned, releasing plumes of smoke into the sky. An oil spread around the trunk's roots and base, guiding the fire down a set path.

"I can help!" I shouted out, creating a massive sheet of the fire retardant material I used to escape from Salinel.

The fire had just started. If I could stop it quickly, I could save Nev's home. I threw the sheet across the fire, but the flames' updraft caught the other end, causing one end to soar aggressively upwards.

"Hold the other end!"

I gripped the edge of the cloth as it struggled to free itself and stepped away from the fire.

"I can't do it without you. Grab the other end, and we can stop it quickly." As I turned back to see what had taken Nev so long, my heart sank.

The handle of an axe was slammed into my face, shattering my barely healed nose. I hit the ground and saw two ghosts before me. Clea stood with a dagger pressed to Nev's throat with her other hand covering their mouth. While Lex stood above me, spinning his axe haphazardly in his hands.

I doubted this is what Nev meant by 'Spirits.'

Lex swung his axe in a downward arc, landing in the spot I had just fallen to. I scrambled away on all fours before picking myself off the ground and looking over at Nev. Clea pressed her dagger firmly to their face as the two watched this one-sided fight.

"We're gonna kill him first and let you watch. Then it's your turn." Clea stated in a way that was trying to get my attention.

"What the hell Nev!?" I screamed out. "I thought you killed them!"

"No," Nev replied, looking as though she regretted that decision.

"Ha! Kill us?" Lex laughed. "All they did was drop a branch on us. Of course, it slowed us down, but they didn't finish the job."

He continued to swing, each strike growing harder to dodge.

"Stop moving so I can kill you!" Lex demanded.

"I'd rather not!"

Eventually, his swings grew slower but so did my movements. I knew I couldn't keep this up forever. It was time to go on the offensive, at least as much of an offense as I'm capable of. He plummeted his axe into the ground by my feet, where it stuck only for a second. In that second, I put myself behind the brute and grasped firmly onto his leather cuirass.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Stop squirming!"

Sigils displayed against his hide armor, and I accepted as I had dozens of times before. Lex's chest shined against the burning fire revealing a frame that was more hair than man.

"What did you?" He said, giving up on pulling out his axe and finishing his sentence.

Lex swung and tried to grab me. Instead, he pulled in an armful of his cuirass, deconstructed into a leather sheet. As he struggled to drop the deconstructed fabric, I ducked down, gripping onto a trouser leg.

"Lex, look out!" Clea shouted, but it was far too late.

I took a few steps back, confident that I had any involvement in the fight at all outside of being a pin cushion for his axe. Lex walked deliberately back to his weapon, effortlessly lifting it from the roots that once locked it. Turning toward me, I realized immediately that he had no shame over his sudden lack of clothing, not that there would be anything to be ashamed of. Unfortunately, I was suddenly reminded of one of my Gran's adult fantasy novels I accidentally read as a child.

He flourished his axe again, taking several practice swings as he closed the distance between us. His strikes seemed like a blur.

"Broke. Does being naked make this guy stronger?" I asked while trying to backstep this brute.

Such ability does not exist, plus he's still wearing boots.

"Not helpful, Broke! Then why does he seem much scarier all of a sudden?"

He's activated his Unique Feat: Fit of Pique.

"Okay, great. What does that mean?"

It dramatically increases his physical attributes while lowering his mental acuity.

"Got it, so he's stronger and faster but a little dumber."

I could use this to my advantage, I told myself. First, formulate a plan Lex wouldn't see coming and then spring it when he least expects it. Lex had his own plan, however.

Before any genius strategy could come to mind, he was on me instantly with a kick planted squarely in my sternum. I hit the ground, buckling over as his foot knocked all the wind from my lungs.

"Yeah! Get him, Lex!" Clea shouted.

I looked over in response and saw Nev was still restrained but unharmed. They looked unconcerned about my current situation and locked eyes on the massive tree that continued to burn.

Lex pulled his axe back one last time while looking down at my stunned form.

"Any last words, wizard?" Clea shouted out from behind him.

I caught my breath, but only five words could come to mind.

"Fuck you! I'm a tailor." I shouted back as his axe swung down.

It stopped only a foot from my face, and I could hear Lex groaning with effort. A vine had wrapped itself squarely around the hilt of the axe. I looked over at Nev and saw they still had eyes locked onto the massive burning tree. Seeing it as my opportunity, I reached up and grabbed onto the braided leather around the axe handle. Even through Lex's thick sausage fingers, I could see the glyphs manifest and line the handle. I had never used my ability on weapons before, but surely it was the same concept. I focused on accepting as I had on thousands of clothes before, but instead, the glyphs disappeared, and nothing happened.

Your grade is too low to use Material Reclamation.

"Huh?"

The vine snapped, and his axe finally released. Fortunately, the vine gave me enough time to roll onto my side dodging his blow. As the axe impacted against the roots, the handle blew to smithereens in his hands. I was elated for a moment before I realized it wouldn't matter much. Lex was on me only a second later. His hands wrapped tightly around my throat. Choked to death by a naked savage, one that I helped disrobe, definitely not the way I thought I would go out.

"Stop it, please! You can't!" Nev shouted out from Clea's grasp.

"Why would he stop now? It's just getting fun!" Clea replied while laughing.

But she wasn't talking to Lex. Instead, I saw Nev staring at the verdant giant towering above us as I looked. Tears ran down their face as they pleaded with their invisible spirits. Then, the massive tree suddenly split with an ear-shattering blast, each half rapidly approaching the ground below.