Magic water floated between my hands, glowing blue against my gloves. With determination, I pushed more magic in the water and started to twist it into a pattern. The more intricate the knot-like structure became, the brighter it glowed. Levi coiled around my wrist, watching with anticipation and adding magic to the spell.
The battle continued to rage below, but I focused on my task. Terre might not appreciate me meddling, I wasn't just going to sit here. I could help him, so that’s what I’m going to do.
As soon as the spell was ready, Levi jumped through. A six foot long snake with a sparse feathery plume on his crown came out the other side.
Ghost stiffened when he felt Levi's enhanced power with his new size, but still didn't react. Even at this state, Levi still wasn't strong enough to threaten Ghost.
There was nothing but air under Levi. Instead of fearing the sudden free fall, contentment vibrated from him. He missed flying. I held out my hand and a water chute appeared from my fingers, curving down to the ground. Because I was low in water, the slide ended ten feet above the ground.
Levi didn't stress about it. He rode the water down, quick as a bullet. As soon as my water ended, he summoned his own water and continued down. He landed and shot across the ground, curving around Karmin's frosty mist, aiming for the pond.
Karmin jerked in shock as Levi zoomed past her. "What the hell is that?" She looked up at me, her brows pinched together. "What are you doing?"
"Helping." I pulled my water up and looked below.
Terre appeared behind the stone giant and swung his sword fast and hard. The blade hit the monster's neck with a sharp clatter. A huge crack appeared along the monster's neck. Terre twisted in midair and kicked the head. The whole piece of stone broke right off. The headless monster swung around, smashing its arms into the Terre. He groaned in pain as he shot through the air. Mist pooled around him and stopped his fall. By the time he straightened, a new head sat on the stone giant's shoulders.
I frowned. That whole sequence only lasted a couple seconds. I could visually keep up, but physically, I'd be screwed if I was down there. Both in speed and defense.
"You're supposed to stay there!" Karmin warned. She waved her hand and sent a wave of icicles into the misty battle.
"I know," I yelled back.
And it was true, everything I planned to do could be done from up here. I mean, I couldn't even get close to the battle. The A ranked auras of the two figures flooded the battlefield, Terre's white color twisting against the giant's brownish hue in a deadly swirl. I'd be a breathless pile of flesh if I got too close, completely debilitated from the auras alone. The only reason I was fine now was because Terre kept the stone giant's aura contained inside his mist — probably in consideration for me. Did it put any extra strain on him? I hoped not.
Levi's glee came through our bond, distracting me. Through Karmin’s hazy mist, I could barely see him as he slipped into the pond. Glee rushed through our bond followed by an almost purring like sound as Levi twisted in the water, feeling the wet against his scales. After a second, he swam in a circle, agitating the pond. The water responded to his ability, swirling like a whirlpool. Then he rushed to the shore, bringing the churning water with him and riding it like a tsunami.
The water was like a single entity under his direction, spilling and rolling over the flat surface with Levi on top, controlling the water to bend around Karmin's mist. Not a single drop spilled out of his control. The pond emptied entirely, the water spilling uphill and following after Levi, creating a thirty foot long funnel.
If Karmin was shocked when Levi first passed her, she was nearly dumbfounded when he passed again atop a ten foot tidal wave. "The hell?" she gasped and stepped back. "What's going on?"
"Water is more fluid than ice," I yelled back. "No matter where the giant steps, the water will always be in the way."
I reached out, feeling the water getting closer. As soon as the first half was close enough, I gripped it in my power and took control. Joy, as strong as what Levi felt when he slipped into the pond, flooded my chest. It was like a big, cool drink on a hot day, quenching a thirst I didn't know I had.
Levi spilled down the back half of the water tide and surrendered control of the first half to me. He knew exactly what I was thinking, so he reacted instantly when I told him, "Go."
He took the second half of the water around to the opposite side of the battle. It was too far away to manipulate the water from my position, but Levi had free range.
As soon as he was here, I yelled over the sounds of the battle, "Terre! Water incoming!"
He dodged a boulder that flung at his head, and swept a quick glance around, taking in the water mounds on either side of the mist. He jumped back, and landed on the mist, floating three feet in the air.
As one, Levi and I pushed the water into the battlefield. It spread out over the ice, filling all the cracks and washed up around the stone giant's stumpy feet. Instead of letting it continue to run off, I controlled the edges to create a pool on just the ice. The edges of the water rose until the entire battle field was a pool a foot deep.
The stone giant shrieked, the sound low and rumbling, and lifted a foot out of the water in fright. No matter how it shook it, the water clung to the stone, agitating the monster more. It hopped to its other foot, as if hoping that the other foot would become dry at least. It was futile.
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Satisfaction curled my lips. That was the exact reaction I was hoping to have happen. The water didn't hurt the stone giant — I was too weak to do that yet — but the monster was instinctively aquaphobia. That’s why they stayed in places without water, like deserts and caves. That was also probably the reason the communication tower was still standing; the stone giant didn’t want to get too close to the pond. I bet it didn’t realize the snow runoff would collect here when the monster settled its lair here.
Terre took advantage of the monster's distraction and attacked. He chopped at the head, again, trying to take it off. The stone giant was so unstable standing on one foot on the slippery, wet ice, that it fell over and sent an explosion of water into the air. Large ripples spread out until it hit the edge that me and Levi created. I was so high in the air, it was hard to keep the edge in place.
Suddenly the pond's rim froze into thick ice. With the icy bottom and sides, it was like the whole battlefield was an ice bath. As soon as it turned to ice, although I could feel the water inside, I couldn't control it anymore. I glanced over my shoulder. Karmin smiled from her position and gave me a thumbs up, like an encouraging big sister on the sidelines. I guess she thought my water idea wasn't that bad, huh?
I nodded at her. Her actions were unnecessary — I had it handled — but it did take a strain off my mind. Not going to lie, controlling the water from this distance was harder than normal.
As soon as the giant went down in the water, it sent out a billowing roar. The splash of water covered the entire monster, soaking every inch on stone and collecting in all the porous gaps. It smashed at the ice bottom with its hand in terror, trying to reach solid ground, but even if the ice crumbled into slush, the water rushed in and cut the monster off from its element. I didn't even need to control the action — it's just what water does.
Terre rushed in, attacking more aggressively than ever. His sword struck the monster repeatedly, chipping away the stone from its body. Before, as soon as the fallen rock hit the ground, it would bounce back up into place and no matter what Terre did, the HP bar over the monster's head barely budged. That wasn't the case now. The chunks of stone fell into the water with a kerplunk and sank down to the bottom of the pool. And stayed there, encased in water.
The stone giant roared, grabbed a rocky chunk out of the pool and pressed it back to its body. Just like fondant on a wet cake, the rock slipped right off and fell back into the water. This is why stone giants were aquaphobic. It took away their healing ability.
Realizing it was at a disadvantage, the monster turned and attacked Terre with a venomous grudge, as if Terre was the one that brought the water. It smashed and punched at him, its moves faster and more brutal than before. After all, it was no longer a waiting game for the stone giant to win. Terre dodged the attacks, his ability to warp in the mist a great help, and attacked. But that didn't mean he got away scotch free every time. The stone giant got in some good hits too, each one sending out a hair-raising thump.
I shuddered every time I heard it. Just half of a hit would end me. But Terre stood up after every hit and jumped back into the fight like it was nothing. And that's what it meant to be a Hunter. Always getting back up, no matter how bad the pain was. I wanted to be like that too.
Terre grunted as the stone giant slapped him right into the water.
The giant lunged after him.
I flung my hand and grabbed a bunch of water. With a twist of my hands, I turned it into a water spout that surrounded the stone giant, pelting its body and face. Levi caught on, and added his magic, strengthening the funnel.
The giant froze, shocked to be surrounded by water in the middle of its attack. No matter how it turned, it couldn't dodge the water. It thrashed its arms, trying to kill whatever controlled the water spout, but it couldn't reach us. I was in the air and Levi was hiding in the water on the far side of the battlefield.
Terre rolled to his feet and jumped back on the mist.
I lifted my hands high, the water following my moves, stretching tall. Then I pressed my hands down. The water funnel smashed down on the stone giant's head all the effort me and Levi had.
The stone giant was suddenly over balanced. Its stumpy feet slipped on the ice and it went down hard again. Water washed over it.
"Let's end this! Ria, fill in the gaps with water," Terre commanded. "Karmin, freeze that water." He thrust out his hand. The mist right above the giant stopped moving, as if it was frozen in place.
My eyes narrowed, instantly understanding. I raced the water off the stone giant's body, searching while the monster thrashed and tried to stand up. But every time it attempted to get up, it smacked into a solid mist that prevented it from pushing up. Whenever I found a chip or gap in the stone, I pooled water in it. A second later, the water froze. We slowly froze the monster solid. The ice prevented the stones from rolling and shifting with its movements as effectively as if it was cement.
Terre jumped high and came down on the giant's back. He stabbed down into its chest, his sword breaking right through the stone all the way to the hilt.
I immediately filled the hole in the monster's chest with water, mentally wincing at the abuse the poor blade went through this fight.
Terre pulled his sword out and a split second later, the water turned into ice. Then he stabbed the thrashing monster again. And again. Each time, the hole was filled with water and ice. Each one took a considerable chuck off the stone giant's HP bar.
With a yell, Terre stabbed the back that he stood on. With a thundering crack, the giant's body split in half.
Ding! [Experience Points have been calculated based on contribution. +650 EXP]
Ding! [You have Leveled Up!]
Ding! [You have Leveled Up!]
Ria Moore
D Rank
Level 16
EXP to Next LV 284
HP 195/195
MP 128/242
Strength 24 (+2)
Magic 28
Constitution 23 (+2)
Agility 27
Perception 23
Intelligence 26
Abilities:
Regen (Limited)
Bubble (10 MP)
Hydrokinesis (10 MP)
Familiar Empowerment (1/4 MP)
Skills:
Power Swim
Water Slide
******