”Why are you chasing me?” (Ari)

I hope you will tell me your whole plan. Most amateur will tell their plans when they will confident about their victory. Even if she is lying, it tells a lot about her. I can take that change and use it against her. I must present myself weak and scared kid. I must take every change that I can get to buy time for me.

Retreating back to train would be useless too. It was lie that I could enter inside the barrier. After six hours are passed this moment then I can approach back here. For now I must get as far away from here as I can.

”Why would I tell you?” (Necromancer)

This is bad. She won´t be telling me anything. She has a big ego. She won´t allow any failure. She thinks that she can get me fast. This is reason why she let the rest behind. She must be alone and working as someone´s apprentice. Once she knows that she can´t accomplish the plan then she will take it out to me. First two hours will go swimmingly for sure but after is she will come desperate. I must find how her character works in that time. The best way to do it is to make a game.

”If I guess correctly, can you let me go?” (Ari)

”…” (Necromancer)

Intence running to the mountain.

Meanwhile necromancer and zombies were left far behind. Only swamp rats were close to me. They were starting to prepare attacking me. Its purpose is the most likely test my powers.

At first two rats were attacking from opposite directions. I could coordinate both attacks at same time but I choosed to pretent to be weaker than I´m. I blocked one rat going across a rock and other rat was killed by throwing a rock. I also took its low sword as weapon. It was badly rusted. Even if hit it only would deal mediorger damage. Of course even small damages would slow me down. I must avoid them but given perfect change to attack caster then I could take few attacks. Of course these two might have been given worst weapons on purpose. If I was her master then I have ordered her to do it that way. I must find out how capable master she has.

Other rat was killed fast by low sword. I didn´t have a plan to take its weapon. It must be as bad as this. This low sword can be only used 5 times effectively.

”Impressive. You could deal with those two.” (Necromancer)

She was playing with me. I wasn´t angry because I was doing the same. She had used group necromancy magic to rise moving speed of every monster. She must be frustrated to get left far behind. Her voice was heard many hundreds of meters away. I would have not used such spell in this moment. She must be thinking that I was slowing down. Unfortunately I´m not carrying anything. I can easily run this fast for hours. For this reason I speed up for two minutes even swamp rats were left behind.

”Can we talk now?” (Ari)

I can´t pretent to be too weak. It might cause possible allies to strike when I don´t want them.

”I won´t tell you anything.” (Necromancer)

Unlike the first time she sounded tired and breathless. Her heavy breathing can´t be faked otherwise battle power would decrease. No one would pretent so far against unknown enemy.

”I can make a deal with you.” (Ari)

”…” (Necromancer)

”We both need to rest so let´s make a treaty for this night.” (Ari)

It was true. I wasn´t tired physically but my mind was heavily damaged. I was worried about Ice spirit and how sealed gate was doing.

”I allow it.” (Necromancer)

She must be tired but I can´t let my guard down. She will surround me for sure and attack when she has rested enough. This will only buy me half a hour at most. Two minutes are all I need.

I went to top of the steep mountain. There was only one way which her monsters could use to get to me. I can barricade in it for small time. Her spellcaster zombies will cause problems for me in a long run. To no suprise I was surrounded from every direction. Too bad these monsters can´t attack me in meantime.

”How is things going with you?” (Ari)

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

”It is difficult to explain without showing you at first. More like I don´t want to explain.” (Fire spirit)

What did happen?

I entered into my consciousness. What I ended to see was nothing. More accurately Ice and Beast spirit weren´t seen anywhere around.

”Where those two are?” (Ari)

”Try figure out that on your own.” (Time spirit)

She was very angry and she had pity look on her face. Something terrible must have happened. My only clues were facts that both Beast and Ice were gone, sealed gate was reacting and finally no one is willing to talk about it.

There is only two reasons why spirit would disappear from neutral essence user. The first one being essence out. Since only spirits with strong share in mana can embody themselves if there isn´t enough essence then they would disappear. Ice essence is strong but beast essence was weak so that isn´t impossible but why stay quiet about it. The second option would be essence change. It is spirit evolving to something else. Most commonly into stronger form but I haven´t done anything to make something like that to happen.

”Really. You don´t know.” (Time spirit)

She was even angrier than before. For some reason she didn´t understand why I don´t understand it. Thankfully Mountain spirit started to explain carefully in shame.

”You know we spirit will embody our bodies mix your idea of how we would look. For this reason we don´t have genders but you made us become part of one gender. Do you understand so far?” (Mountain spirit)

”Yes?” (Ari)

I couldn´t understand why he was talking about something like this all the sudden.

”You really don´t understand.” (Mountain spirit)

I have nothing to say.

”Let me tell you another way. When you think how we look or you see us for the first time then our appearance can´t be changed. So. Do you have idea how things are now? Please don´t picture anything.” (Mountain spirit)

I don´t feel so good. My whole body is screaming not to think just about anything. All my warning signals were warning me not to take any hasty actions. For some reason their strange looks made very good sense. They were trying to keep both me and Ice spirit save. We can forget about Beast spirit. For some reason it seemed like Beast spirit was screaming about how I was thinking. This must be just my imagination.

Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Butterflies are flying in beautiful meadow. People are smiling and happy. Big fox´s was brought for the festival. No there isn´t any male beast here. Let´s think about winter. Everything is beautiful white. People are wearing beautiful leather jackets. The most beautiful person was wearing beautiful fox leather jacket. She was white all around. Unlike old people she looked beautiful and young. Certainly she must be mst beautiful person in the winter. It is such a shame that it is summer now.

My danger signals were constantly calming down. I had feeling that everything was going to be fine. This was the second most scariest thing that I have experienced ever before. I´m happy that is over now.

”Is it okey to see her?” (Ari)

Spirits seemed to be finally calm. They looked to the sealed gate and gave a okej signal to somebody that I couldn´t see behind it. Behind it young woman how I pictured revealed herself. She had incredible happy look in her face. I don´t even care what happened before.

”Thank you.” (Woman)

”You welcome. For what reason you are thanking me? Ai!” (Ari)

Fire spirit hit me behind my head.

”Thank you.” (Woman)

”How should I call you?” (Ari)

”Ice werewolf spirit would be fine for now.” (Ice werewolf spirit)

My past and present were going fast in my mind. I could finally understand what is was. I was half awakened ice werewolf essence user. No wonder I couldn´t use magic properly in my past. Unlike werewolves ice were wolves are close to unknown. In fact I knew only one ice werewolf in my past and he was part of demon army´s high ranks.

That isn´t important. What is important, is how should I use this newly gained strenght against my enemy. In the end hardly anything changed. I had decent change on succeeding without any power up. This does instead complicate things. What if I change my form suddenly and loss my reason. That would be bad in many ways. Under these circumstances avoiding use of both beast and ice essence is must. In other words my most powerful magic is out and I don´t get any warnings from Beast spirit. This could become difficult.

”Nice to meet you Ice werewolf spirit. For now I want to avoid using your skill before I test them in save place and time.” (Ari)

”Looking forward working with you.” (Ice werewolf spirit)

She doesn´t act like either of them. Combined spirits are rare but there is few although most of them might be kept as secret and for a good reason. Even still that spirit should act like both of them or only one personality stays. Which of the two might be the case here?

I have feeling that she has Ice spirit´s mind. It think so because of she is a girl. It would be strange if Beast spirit was in control. By the way I haven´t observed enough how these spirits are. It must be because I had clear in mind how they looked from people how had seen them before.

Light and Dark were fuzzy so I can´t see them clearly. I have no idea what sex they might be. Fire is big bearded man with powerful muscles and tall figure. Man with ruffian face was best depiction. Mountain looks like any normal young man. It is scare how normal he looks. It might be because I had gotten used to see my villages faces so Mountain spirit took the most normal kind of face. At least it is easy to look at him. Wind spirit is the problem. He looks exactly like my adult self in my thirties. Some reason when I asked how wind spirit looked then they would say that we look alike. No kidding. We look exactly the same. This is all your fault. Finally Time can be forgotten forever.

”Au! That hurt!?” (Ari)

”Sorry. I had feeling that I should pinch you.” (Time spirit)

I have nothing to say to her.

In the end I know they are save and no headache would strike me suddenly. My powers were limited but also grown for now. I should rest my eyes for now since Beast spirit won´t be warning me no longer. I must trust Mountain spirit to this work.