~~~Lee~~~
Lee stared up at the massive warehouse looming into the predawn sky. How had he not seen this before? The thing was huge! Though the slight valley it was in might have kept the towering structure from standing out. Then his gaze dropped down to the doorway leading into a dark interior.
"Let's get some chicken." Alejandro said beside him.
Jake had shown up this morning and told them about this place. Said it was full of giant chickens, which he claimed were even better tasting than before the system. So now they were here to find out for themselves. Though the few birds they'd already killed on approach lent plenty of credibility to the story.
Giant chicken was a good descriptor for the things they'd fought through to reach the door. Though maybe a bit lacking when the monsters were each ten feet tall and attacked with glowing talons and pecking beaks that hit like a truck. Lee was still recharging his shield...
The rune's charge topped out, and Lee waited longer as his body sucked in the ambient mana to refill his core. It created a small vortex around him in the swirling mana, but did nothing to disrupt the river flowing through the door ahead. Same as all lairs, this one sucked up mana like a black hole.
It wasn't as extreme for his building back in the human lair, which he could only guess was something to do with the monsters breeding much faster.
Lee still hadn't found an origin for the mana. It was everywhere, and flowing in different directions depending on where he was, but it didn't have a source. There was the Liquid Mana Well in his building, which output mana into the surroundings, but none of that left the building. It didn't even seem to affect the sapient lair's absorption rate from the outside, either.
"Let's go," Lee said. His mana would be full soon enough, and it would recharge faster inside. Another benefit to fighting in these lairs.
Alejandro was the only one Lee knew in the group, which comprised eight people. Three women and five men, including Lee and Alejandro. They were all volunteers to the growing guard force Alejandro was building and out for their first hunt. All of them equipped with runed armor and weapons. Alejandro was very into leading by example, and didn't hesitate to stand at the front with his troops, unlike Wilson, who was still trying to make things happen without getting blood on his hands.
"Three incoming," Lee said as soon as they crossed the threshold, his Mana Mind seeing clearly despite the sudden shift from light to dark. "Two on the right. I'll get the left."
He threw the glowing disk-lights out along with the others, then surged forward an instant before the glowing talon lit up and slammed into his shield. The sideways impact only sped up his spinning blow, and Lee cut off the planted chicken leg before the bird even saw it coming.
That didn't end the fight, unfortunately, and his aggressive attack left him exposed when the massive beak came plunging down. It struck his helmet, lighting up the rune in the metal with the impact.
Lee's brain rattled from the blow but his Mana Mind was unaffected and let him see exactly where the bird was when it dove for another peck, and he lashed upward with his machete. It pulled back, dodging the strike, but the magic edge extending beyond the blade's tip caught the chicken by surprise and took it across the throat.
Blood rained down, forcing Lee to close his eyes, and not impeding his mana vision in the slightest as he skipped back and away from the dying creature. The chickens outside had shown the same propensity as their old normal brethren for staying disturbingly active after losing their heads. Missing a leg made the following thrashing much less of an issue as Lee moved to intercept the next attacker.
He gave the others a quick once over on the way. Alejandro was keeping one chicken busy while the rest of them hacked and slashed at the other. Between the rune-sharpened blades and the rune-powered armor, they were getting the job done. Alejandro had also scattered additional lights across the floor to help the more sight dependent of the group.
Lee caught the next beak on his shield, almost buckling his legs from the heavy blow, then pushed forward after the legs. It was the best way to deal with the fluffy creatures that appeared much more substantial than they actually were. Mana Mind saw past the feathers, not impeded until it reached their skin below. The newbies behind him were not as lucky, and he saw more than a few blows only trim the fluff rather than cut flesh.
They still got the job done, and everyone went deeper into the lair, Lee leading the charge. It was just easier to take the hits himself rather than worry about healing the others when...
Something changed and the world receded away as a strange feeling crashed into Lee. It was Caffeine... and Stanley!
Lee's heart was already racing as he waited for the inevitable doom and horror to crush him... but it didn't. They were... okay? Sure, Stanley felt terrible, but it didn't matter. Because Caffeine was running the show this time. Lee didn't even know how he knew that. He just did.
What he felt from Caffeine drove every other thought from his head. Lee forgot about the expected doom. Forgot even about his worry for Stanley. All he knew was the unquestionable love of the pug for his humans. That was the best he could describe the sensation. It just didn't translate into mere language. It was beyond words...
All too soon, the feeling faded, and Lee found himself on his knees, people shouting and fighting all around him. His Mana Mind hadn’t stopped working throughout whatever that was, but he hadn’t been able to focus before. Now he took in the scene even as he clung desperately to the fading sensation of Caffeine and his brother. He'd known they were alive and could still feel Stanley in the distance. But... this was something else.
He surged to his feet, slipping through a gap in his encircling guards and decapitating the pecking chicken as it struck at the woman's exposed back. Lee spun and ducked to take its feet next, then charged after another target.
They cut down the pack of birds quickly, all the while Lee was furiously analyzing the experience forced upon him. Forced, but not unwelcome. Not in the least. Stanley had been a riot of paranoia and fear. What must have happened to him? It was even worse than the first time... though Caffeine had helped.
Lee knew their Twin-Soul was involved with whatever had just happened. He had enough experience from creating his runes to recognize some of it. How Caffeine had dragged them together that way was the more important bit that he desperately wanted to know. If he could do that for Stanley... might they be able to communicate?
Matters in the more immediate present forced him to put aside those thoughts as he helped the others to bandage up an excessive number of bloody wounds. His little lapse had cost them.
"Your brother?" Alejandro asked as he lifted the now one and a half legged woman into his arms. A talon had slipped between the armor and gone right through her knee. She would live, and Saira would fix the leg, but it still put an end to the day's hunt.
"Yes." Lee gave his shoulder to support another man who was limping as they headed for the light outside. They'd only delayed long enough to chop up and bag some chicken, so at least they got something out of the trip.
Lee waited until they were outside to speak more. "I'm sorry, everyone." There'd been a few sidelong glances on the way out, all of which he could see with Mana Mind, and since they'd protected him in there, and taken injuries, he felt they deserved an explanation. Though maybe not the whole truth. "I have this... condition..."
He was interrupted by a new voice. "What are you guys doing here?"
Everyone turned to the newcomers coming down the hill, and Lee looked at Alejandro. He was way more likely than Lee to remember the faces of their base, and from his expression, Lee assumed these were not their people. Which meant they were potentially a threat. And he had just gotten a bunch of the group wounded... great.
Alejandro set the woman—Lee really needed to learn more people's names—onto her one good foot and went forward to meet the strangers. "Hi folks. Just had a bit of bad luck in the lair here. Heading home ourselves if you want to take a shot at the chickens."
The group of six men looked ready for a fight. With armor and weapons that looked more makeshift than Lee's companions, but plenty of them, along with two bows. "Where'd you come from?" the first man said, eyes traveling over Lee's group, though he addressed Alejandro.
Lee was feeling extra paranoid at the moment; a feeling he attributed to what Stanley had dumped into his mind a short time ago. That same paranoia was screaming at him that something was off about the group in front of him. Though he couldn't actually place anything specific.
Hearing one of his allies blurt out, "We're up at Greenfield Village if you're looking for a safe place to stay," did not help at all with the paranoia. Especially when he was sure he saw something flash through the other man's gaze as it roved over the group. The oblivious moron kept talking and even lifted a hand to point until Lee jabbed at him with Mana Mind. "We've got a great... ow! What was that?"
Alejandro must have picked up on something because he cut in. "Where do you folks come from? We honestly don't see many people out here these days. It's always good to find more survivors."
"Got our own camp over that way," the man said, waving vaguely and widely.
"Well, we should get going with our wounded. You guys be safe in there. Those birds are dangerous." Alejandro pulled up beside the mouthy guy and had some whispered words with him while they started away. Lee watched the strangers until they left his Mana Mind range and saw them watching right back.
Definitely trouble. Was it the equipment? Maybe they could see how strong the runes were? It definitely looked better than what the strangers were wearing…
Unfortunately, his range wasn't nearly what he needed to watch for potential tails. So it helped that Alejandro led them deliberately off course on the way back, taking a circuitous route back to base. He wasn't willing to risk anyone trying to stay back and spy, and definitely not alone. With the wounded, it only made sense to stick together.
Lee left his runes on the other's equipment when they got back, both as recompense for his little episode and for them risking their lives to protect him, and because they would have gotten it later if they committed to the guard force. Which, despite the injuries suffered, they all remained onboard with. It always helped with morale when Saira took away all the injuries. Though the memories remained...
He also decided against going back out hunting. A decision that clashed with his never-ending desire to keep growing. It was Stanley's fault. He just couldn't shake the feeling that there was going to be trouble. The real problem was, how long was he supposed to wait for the trouble to show?
Luckily, Jake came to his rescue when the man popped in unexpectedly later that evening. "Let's go find them," he said, once Lee explained his shocking abstinence from hunting.
That led to him sprinting through the fading daylight behind Jake as they retraced their steps back to the chicken lair. There, Jake looked around the area and somehow picked up their tracks leading away. He led Lee to what used to be a school, and they arrived just in time to see a large group leaving the gymnasium.
Jake kept pace with the group as they headed toward the chicken lair, though keeping well behind. Lee suspected the extra distance was because of him. Jake was a ghost compared to his clumsy attempts at sneaking.
Unfortunately, the group wasn't going for a late chicken hunt, and they continued on past the lair, heading in the direction Alejandro had departed toward. They followed the exact trail on its winding route, which meant they must have a tracker of their own.
Lee kept hoping this was just some kind of peaceful delegation as they followed behind, but when the lights of the group ahead went out, he knew it wasn't. They'd gone dark just before reaching the complex... and he could see a couple of them that were clearly trying to sneak as they moved closer.
He was about to suggest they raise the alarm when the group stopped just across the street. They stayed there while Jake crept closer one step at a time. Lee stuck right behind him using Mana Mind to not only watch the way Jake moved but also to see where he stepped and mimic the man.
Surprisingly, it worked. Mostly. He wasn’t silent, but far better than before. It helped that the group he was sneaking up on was arguing awfully loud for people on a stealth mission.
Lee held some fresh hope about their intentions after they stopped. Maybe they were scouting out the complex before announcing themselves. That was just common sense. He probably would have done the same…
“...place is huge. We got no idea how many are in there,” a voice said, which was a valid point.
“...I ain’t leaving without that girl,” another said, which sounded… less valid. Maybe someone’s sister or wife was…
“Would you stop thinking with your dick for one goddamn second!” a third voice hissed.
“You didn’t see the look she was giving me… and I don’t got any asians yet!” the second guy said… Okay, that sounded… bad. Hadn’t there been an asian woman on his team when they met these people? All of a sudden, Lee was remembering the encounter in a whole new light.
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“Jesus christ…” a new voice muttered.
“Hey, you wasn’t complaining last night, was you?”
“Guys, forget all that. We need to find out where they got the armor and swords. If they have a smith we take them and get out.”
“I’m not leaving without…”
“After we find the smith! You can get all the damn asians you want when we have some real gear.”
So… maybe Stanley was on to something with his paranoia? All those vaguely suspicious looks from earlier were all much darker in the light of recent revelations. It especially didn’t help when the group sprinted across the street and started climbing the fence.
Lee stood up from his hiding spot, getting ready to run while sounding the alarm… Jake stood as well, then nocked an arrow and smoothly pulled back the string.
Wait... Jake was planning to fight them? Lee thought this was just a scouting mission... but this was Jake. Of course, the guy wanted to fight a dozen people... probably by himself, too.
"Watch our backs," Jake whispered, and loosed the arrow. He had dumped no mana into the arrow, and it flew dark and silent before landing directly in the back of the first man climbing the fence around their home.
It took a moment for the invaders to even notice what had happened as the man tumbled silently off the fence. Jake's second arrow took the next man in the neck... and then the night exploded with light and noise.
Jake's third arrow flew in a streak of blue light, which exploded against a glowing barrier that appeared in its path. It also painted a straight line right back to their position...
A lightning bolt flashed from within the enemy group, striking where Jake had been standing when he fired. He sent another streaking arrow as a fireball arced out in a more slow journey their way.
The fireball was on target and coming in just slow enough that Lee had time to really examine his first offensive spell up close and personal with Mana Mind. It wasn’t that no one in the fort had magic, but most of the guard volunteers he’d hunted with after getting the skill tended to be… lacking when it came to useful abilities. Hence the eagerness for magic weapons and armor.
Still, a fireball spell just felt… basic.
Seeing it in Mana Mind gave him a better idea than tanking it with his shield, as he'd originally planned.
It reminded him of the panther constructs in that he could see inside the spell. Not only that, but he could see the strings and lines of mana that held the thing together. Lee didn't know what all the pieces of the spell did, but there was one piece that made him think of tension poised to explode... So he whacked it.
The fireball exploded instantly, still at the edge of his Mana Mind, and he was glad he hadn't trusted the shield. That would have hurt... the shockwave and cloud of expanding flames still reached his position beside Jake. Luckily, it only felt like a weak shove and standing too close to a fire. Nothing debilitating.
Which was good because another fireball came right on the heels of the first. Almost sneaky, hidden as it was in the explosion. Lee knew it was there the moment it touched his Mana Mind, and instead of hitting this one, he ripped it apart at the seams. The tactic required far more effort but worked much better, and the spell fizzled with barely a flash.
The arrow that followed was unfortunately not something he could deflect so easily, and it came right for him. Of course, Lee didn't need to actually do anything. The arrow shattered against his breastplate, with only the force of the impact sending him back a step.
It left him off balance when the lightning bolt came next. Not that he would have had time to dodge it. But once again, he didn't need to dodge. The first bolt that missed Jake had landed well within Mana Mind range, and Lee had noticed the tiny spark that flew in ahead of the spell. It came in fast, nanoseconds before the lightning, but he still couldn't miss it. All the surrounding mana was his to control.
Lee nudged the spark as it came on, just enough that it missed him, and the trailing bolt followed. He felt the heat on his skin as the blinding magic passed, and his hair stood up in the aftermath, but it caused no damage otherwise.
Jake stayed with him as he launched arrow after arrow down range, only sidestepping when the return fire got close. Lee didn't know how many of the enemies were dead, but he noted the difference between this fight and the last time he'd seen Jake fight other humans.
Either that first ambush had been a bunch of weaklings, or these people were far more dangerous and experienced. They definitely had better teamwork. Those shields kept appearing to intercept the glowing arrows, which was probably why Jake kept slipping normal shots in between the bright, flashy ones.
Lee caught two more fireballs as he hunkered low behind his shield and used the window to watch the raging battle unfolding before him. Voices screamed and yelled, nearly drowned out by the sound of explosions and the crack of lightning bolts. Many of the figures were charging their position, their magic focused on blades or their person rather than thrown ahead.
Jake still didn't retreat as he blasted the onrushing horde. The occasional shot got through the shields, both mundane and magical, and Lee saw two more of the attackers fall before the enemy arrived.
He wasn't ready for this. It wasn't at all what he'd expected when Jake suggested this trip. He'd thought they would scout out the enemy, maybe threaten them to stay away... or warn the others in the complex if something happened. But to just attack the entire army themselves? It was insane! He didn't know how to fight! Not like this.
Someone appeared directly behind them, popping into his Mana Mind with no warning or travel time. Lee's tentative combat instincts took over as the figure lunged toward Jake's back, and he spun, shield leading the way. He caught the blade on his shield and kept pushing until the shield met the charging man.
It was gratifying to note that he'd used the proper footwork for the move, especially when his shield slam sent the attacker flying off his feet. The proper follow up was to take another step and thrust... but Lee hesitated when he met the man's eyes staring up at him.
Jake didn't hesitate, and an arrow sprouted in the man's forehead before he got even halfway to his feet. Jake yelled something at Lee, but the arrival of more spells was enough to take his attention away from the shout. He knew what the man said anyway... he shouldn't have hesitated. The attacker wouldn't have. He would have killed either of them without a second's thought.
Then the rest of the enemy squad arrived, and Lee had no more time for thought. He could only react as both blades and short range spells sought his flesh.
His shield was a lifesaver as it blocked anything and everything that touched it. Mana Mind was the next best tool he had and it let him instinctively know which attacks he could safely ignore. That led to him simply plodding forward two steps and thrusting straight into a man's chest as the man's own strike merely ricocheted from his helmet.
Lee's sword went right through the man... no resistance. Not even the leather armor he wore slowed it down. The shocked look on the man's face...
Another attack threatened to hit him and Lee forced himself to keep moving, spinning to catch the blow on his shield while another glanced off his backplate armor. He swung the blade and tried not to look as it passed cleanly through an arm.
Step. Turn. Thrust. Step. Lee fell into the motions that Martin had started teaching him only days before, and it worked. He remembered the warning about not relying on magic... but it didn't seem to apply in this fight. None of their weapons broke past his runes, and his blade met no resistance as he carved men apart.
A few attacks slipped through. Scratches and cuts that inflicted no serious injury. All wounds that would heal before the fight was even over. The only serious attack was a lightning bolt that slipped past his divided attention in the chaos of his Mana Mind.
That one hurt. Even locked up his muscles for a moment. But it wasn't enough to stop him, and it was the last lightning bolt he saw. Whether the caster ran out of mana, or Jake finally got him, he didn't know. All he knew was the horrifying dance of death.
Then it was over.
Lee blocked a strike, and his attacker fell before he could retaliate. He stood there in the deafening silence with only the sound of his own heavy breathing roaring in his ears.
"Not bad," Jake said, sounding completely calm and not even a little out of breath. "Thought you were going to have more trouble after that first one."
"What the fuck was that!?" Lee let the shield fall from his shaking arm and yelled at the archer. "I thought we were going to scout! Not fight a fucking war! I could have died!"
"Nah, you were fine." Jake appeared unbothered as he strode away. "Come on. I left one alive."
Lee stared after him in disbelief, his pulse racing with unspent adrenaline. Then he followed on rubbery legs, trying not to look at all the mangled corpses surrounding them.
Jake was lightly slapping a man when Lee caught up. "I know you're awake. Stop faking or I'll start stabbing." His other hand held a knife that was inching closer to the man's face.
Apparently Jake was right, because the man opened his eyes before the blade touched him. He spit out some blood and cursed, "Fuck you!"
"First off," Jake said. "You tried to attack my home. I take that personally." The man stiffened, eyes locked on the knife still hovering above his face. "You will most likely die right here. The only question is how. It can be quick and easy, or I can make you beg for it to end."
Jake waited for the man to respond, but he didn't do or say anything as his eyes jumped wildly between the knife, Lee, and Jake. "The easy way involves you telling me exactly what I want to know without lying. The hard way is... well, you get it."
"I didn't want to do..."
"Nuh, uh." Jake tapped the knife tip on the man's cheek. "You can beg later. Tell me the plan."
"We... no, they! They wanted to find useful people! With good classes and skills! I wanted no..."
"What about the less useful ones, then?" Jake tapped him again. "What about the women? Say, little asian girls? Or the children?"
The man flinched and licked his lips. "I’d never hurt a kid!”
“That’s good,” Jake said. “I like it when people are honest. Now how about the women?”
“The women... uh, they... But I never..."
Jake clicked his tongue. “I told you not to lie.” Then he shook his head before looking up at Lee where he stood watching the display. "Satisfied? I could wring more out of him... but I think we got enough."
Lee still felt sick... but he nodded. They'd needed to die. Some of them, at least. Enough of them, hopefully… But they didn't have to fight everyone fucking solo...
"Then kill him." Jake rose, leaving the man staring up at them.
"Wait! I told you..." Jake put his boot over the man's mouth and shook his head.
"You can kill him..." Lee backed up a step.
Jake stared him down and made no move to kill the man. "You hesitated. In a life and death battle where people were trying to kill you, you hesitated and risked both our lives."
"I... I fought… killed... people. I killed them..." Lee felt sick just remembering. He'd killed people in the fight... he wasn't even sure how many...
Jake didn't relent. "Then kill one more."
"Why are you doing this? I thought we were... maybe not friends, but at least allies."
"We are friends. That's why I'm helping you with this."
The man on the ground was crying now, and Lee's stomach was twisting into knots. "Just kill him! I don't need..."
"You're driven," Jake cut him off. "Maybe the most driven person here. But that won't be enough. You need to be strong. You will need to make hard choices and hard calls. What will you do if I let this man go?"
The man squirmed and tried to yell under his boot, but Jake didn't let up. "He could promise never to come back. Then he could go out there and level until he's strong enough to come back and kill you and everyone you care about. Are you willing to leave an enemy at your back? To risk everything because you're squeamish?"
Jake held Lee's gaze and then added, "Fine, let's make this easy. If you don't kill him, I will let him go. I'm not worried about him coming after me. Are you?"
Lee couldn't move as he stared at the squirming man on the ground. Jake was a psycho... why did he have to do this?
"What of your brother?" Jake went low. "What if your mercy here costs your brother his life instead?"
His hand was sweating on the hilt of his sword as Lee glared at the hunter. "You're a bastard."
"I'm realistic. Wake up, Lee. You've said it yourself. The strong rule and the weak die. You want to rule, then make the call."
Lee stalked forward, thoughts of Stanley filling his head as he raised the blade. Muffled cries and wails came from beneath Jake's boot, and the man's arms flailed as he tried and failed to dislodge the man. His legs didn't move... and Lee wondered if the arrow in his gut had hit the spine. Had Jake done it on purpose?
Then he stabbed down into the man's chest... and almost fell when his blade sliced through as easily as all the others.
The man twitched once as Jake stepped back, and his eyes locked onto Lee's as the light behind them faded.
"Fuck you..." Lee cursed Jake, then turned away and vomited. Of course, nothing but bile emerged as he gagged and heaved.
"I like you," Jake said behind him. "You have what it takes. You got it in spades. The only thing you're lacking is that killing edge... and you will need it. Because animals like this will have it, and they won't hesitate."
Lee wanted to leave. He didn't want to hear any of this, didn't want to see the results of his actions up close. But he didn't leave. Instead, he wiped his mouth and turned back to retrieve his blade, still impaled inside the dead man. He forced himself to look at the blank face. Forced himself to pull the blade free and stand straight as he stared back at Jake.
"Thank... you," Lee ground out through clenched teeth. "Never become my enemy, Jake. Because I won't hesitate."
Jake's mouth split into a wide grin, teeth flashing in the moonlight while his glowing green eyes blazed with light. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Lee held the man's gaze as he studied him. He could see the readiness of the man's posture. The way his hands hovered close to but not quite touching his weapons. Jake was absolutely ready to throw down if Lee tried anything. In fact, Lee guessed the lunatic would enjoy it. "Split the cores?"
"Hell no!" Jake exclaimed, his expression shifting to shocked horror. "You get what you kill! You know that."
Lee shook his head and bent again to grab the core next to the dead man's head. He swallowed back more bile and stood.
Thunderous Strike (Rare)
Imbue your fist with Sonic power. Strike with thunderous impact...
Lee didn't want it. Maybe if it worked on a weapon instead. He didn't take the stats either. It would be worth more to trade. I won't be weak, Stan. Come home and I'll have a damn fortress waiting for you. Maybe an army as well...
He grabbed the man's sword and then eyed the leather armor. It hadn't stopped his blade, but then nothing ever did.
"Leave it," Jake said. "Alejandro's coming with his guard. Let them strip the dead. Might even be good for them..."
So Lee left it and went to gather his cores. They argued a few times about who got what, and Lee brought up all the spells he'd protected Jake from. Jake surprised him by actually giving up two of his cores.
"I figured it was you. Just wanted to make sure," he said with a grin.
Unfortunately, the night wasn't over. Alejandro, after hearing what happened, wanted to mount an immediate assault on the source of the attack. Not to remove any further threat, but to rescue the people they'd likely already captured.
It seemed obvious once he pointed it out. Of course, the bastards had probably done this to other groups before.