2-13 Erudite

“The Grizzly’s stunned! Now’s our chance! Attack!”

Erin heard such words being shouted from the top of the cliff. After a loud echo of battle cries, a series of clashing sounds ensued and they echoed far and wide, competing with the cries of the storm. Occasional red glows flashed in between moments.

“Oh for the love of—” Erin threw her face into her palm as a frustrated groan followed. She had intended to lure the Grizzly away from the caravans. She didn’t want to incur more casualties than necessary, not when she was the sole reason the Razor Grizzly and the monsters attacked. However, it seemed the adventurers and guards had different ideas. Without doubt, they were aiming for the monsters’ cores, especially the Grizzly's. The adventurers’ levels were high and they had more than enough numbers to take down a Razor Grizzly. With those likelihoods, they weren’t about to let such a prize escape. Even the merchants would be dazzled by those prospects, Erin surmised, and she herself would have agree to that prospect if they weren't fighting on a fragile foundation.

Be that as it may, the Grizzly wasn’t Erin’s current concern. The undead Marcus was, and a few other monsters that were lying in wait behind trees and bushes. Marcus, the missing adventurer, had become a Wight much like his late partner, William. The undead Marcus held a level of seventeen, two levels above William. Its Might was significantly higher than Erin’s. To make matters worse, four Dire Wolves of level eight and seven strode by his sides.

Erin had prepared herself for her untimely demise but she changed her pessimistic view when she appraised the Wight. She saw a silver lining. The Wight had Iron Skin, Fire Magic, and Fleet Foot, but those three abilities were all displayed in grey, safe for its Sword Art. It didn't take Erin long to figure what the greying entailed.

“A limitation of Necromancy… I see,” Erin drew a conjecture.

Erin laughed dryly. An opponent of such abilities would have been intimidating to her if this had been a few days ago. But now, the happenstance was almost too humorous for Erin to stifle her laugh. She also thanked her luck for the disadvantages bestowed upon the Wight. Lightning crackled between her fingertips as she eyed her opponents with scrutiny and confidence.

The Wight pointed at her with his forefinger as he gave an order in a language Erin wasn’t able to comprehend. The Dire Wolves rushed at her at the next second without a shred of hesitation.

Erin cast Arcane Edge on her saber and swung in a wide arc, unleashing a sharp wave of magic at the lunging Dire Wolves. It was a clean execution, each of the Dire Wolves had their heads cut clean right off their necks.

[Experience gained +12% - Level Progression: 110%]

[Erinthea: Level 12 increased to 13]

[Skill Points gained +2]

[Ability Points gained +2]

[Level Progression: 10%]

“Thanks for that,” Erin muttered. It wasn’t meant to be a taunt. It just came out of her naturally. It really did feel convenient however.

The Wight growled and began its own charge, dragging its large sword across the ground.

Erin faced the Wight straight on by running right at it. She drew her other sword, wielding her saber and broadsword in tandem. Her stance and footwork was devoid of any hesitation.

Her fight with William had taught her much about Wights. They had some semblance of skill to their past selves but in the end, they were only pale shadows of their true counterpart. Their ability to nullify pain was both their gift and bane. Their absence of caution left themselves wide open to be taken advantage of in many aspects.

The Wight lifted its sword and swung once Erin was within its reach, but the Fox-kin flipped over its blade. Her faint bluish white hair fluttered gracefully as not a single strand was caught by the undead’s edge. Biting down on her lips, Erin used Mystic Blade and severed the Wight’s hand from its wrist as she fell through the air. She forced the Wight to remain in its place by discharging Lightning Bolt. The lightning was only but an itch to the Wight, but the spell did keep it from moving with the shock. When Erin landed, she let her momentum carry her into a spin. She swiped her leg at the Wight’s feet as her tails slammed into its body.

The Wight toppled from the sudden series of assaults. It could barely understand what had transpired. It held a fragment of its master’s will and memories, but within those remnants of his master, it did not prepare the Wight for this. Before it could get back up, Erin pinned the Wight down with all of her body weight. She used her tails, clad in Arcane Armor, to trap its only arm in place. Incapacitated, Erin decapitated the Wight’s head. Before a notification appeared, she severed its other arm, its lower torso, and finally impaled its heart, as assurances.

[Experience gained +20% - Level Progression: 30%]

A grin decorated her lips. It felt good to be accustomed to her new body more and more. At this rate, it won't be long before she could fully exploit the limits of her new body, but the matter of level was another issue.

When she stepped away from the unmoving parts of the Wight, a headache assailed her, her world spun, but being the quick footed Fox-kin she was, she caught bearings before it left her. She briefly shook off the after effects of Mystic Blade. After her encounter with the late William, she understood the danger of a prolonged fight with a Wight. The undead had no need for rest but she did. Dragging out a fight with an undead was undeniably not the wisest move. This headache was an adequate cost for victory, but had the Wights came in droves, the headache would be her bane.

“Well, at least that’s over with,” Erin assured herself.

Though she told herself as such, the noises from above relayed the contrary. The fight was still going on fierce. Erin would have joined the fight had she discovered a way to climb back up. The cliff wasn’t a straight fall. It was slanted, enough for anyone with adequate skill to climb back up, but that was only possible if the walls weren’t soaked and slippery from the rain.

“Damn it,” Erin cursed. Even if the rain had stopped, she would still need to wait for the walls to dry if she wished to traverse up the walls.

From the sound of the battle above, neither side had yet to reach a decisive point. Until this second. Lightning fell from the sky at the beckon of fate and struck the battlefield. The earth trembled as debris scattered to all sides. Damages were done to the adventurers but the thunder had only strengthened the Razor Grizzly. A crimson flash, brighter and larger than all that came before it, streaked through the air. Heaps of shouts and cries resounded. The earth trembled once more. After a moment of quiet, an explosion shook the air.

“What the fuck...” Erin gasped as a grandly adorned cart, a part of a caravan, was sent flying off the cliff. Squinting her eyes, she saw four individuals were also thrown off in the ensuing explosions. Three of them were instantly killed by the explosion but one was still alive. Bits and parts of the cart had shielded her from the explosion. However, that individual would not remain alive for long if they keep falling through the air until they met the ground.

Erin sheathed her swords and broke into a sprint, running for the falling survivor. She leaped into the trees and hopped from branches to branches. A Rock Ape emerged from its hiding and threw itself into her path. Its crazed eyes told Erin enough of its state. It was a monster controlled by the supposedly Necromancer. Covering her fist with Arcane Armor, she sent a straight punch into the Rock Ape’s face. Combined with her Brawler skill and the level difference of eight, the Rock Ape had its skull smashed into bits from that single punch.

[Experience gained +1% - Level Progression: 31%]

Three more Rock Apes presented themselves in her path and all three of them fell prey to her brutality with her fists or tails. Feeling the soreness in her tails and hands after, she dreaded for the swelling on the morrow.

[Experience gained +3% - Level Progression: 34%]

Two more rock apes were coming for her but they were unfortunate enough to be in the right place at the wrong time as the cart fell right into them.

“Good riddance.”

With the Rock Apes out of the picture, she ascended in her leaps, aiming for the higher branches. She took one last leap, into a spot where no branches but the empty air to greet her steps, receiving the falling survivor in her arms.

“Siv?” she muttered in surprise at the identity of the survivor. It was the Shewolf Beast-kin, Siv, one of Hegan and Crom’s personal guards. The blast had apparently knocked the Beast-kin unconscious.

Erin braced herself as she crashed through the trees and straight into the ground. She protected herself with Arcane Armor but the blunt impacts passed through her Magic Art and went right into her bones and muscles. When she had stopped, she couldn’t move for a few minutes. Only groans escaped her lips. Thankfully, no monsters were near enough to reach her before she could recover.

Appraising Siv, Erin knew she was wounded but nowhere dire enough to kill her. Erin looked away immediately when she realized the state of Siv’s apparels. They were in tatters. Although still enough to cover her sensitive bits, one more blow would make her no different than being naked.

A roar bounced between the trees, into Erin’s stiffened ears and tails.

“For fuck’s sake...” she cursed.

She lay the unconscious Siv by her side and drew her saber in preparation. She followed the sounds of branches being destroyed. She didn’t need to wait long before the monster revealed itself. It was a Troll, charging its way through the floral at Erin.

Erin forced her focus to align itself as she conjured up lightning into her palm. With a sharp resolute cry, she shot the lightning at the Troll. The troll’s eyes glint red as its body enshroud itself in red lightning. The lightning bolt burst into nothing as it hit the Troll.

[Lightning Magic: Level 1 increased to Level 2]

“You… will die… here...” the Troll said in an all-too familiar voice.

“Oh bollocks, how does that even—?” Erin gave up her sentence and sighed. With her saber in one hand, she drew her broadsword with the other. She imbued both of her swords with Mystic Blade and Arcane Edge. She cried out her battle spirit as she slashed out in a cross pattern.

The Troll stared with feasted eyes as the attack magic closed in. The red lightning shrouding the Troll flared up in response but the cross-pattern attack magic went through the Troll without even a decrease in its pace. The Troll crumbled into four pieces as the puppeteer was ever none the wiser of the cause of its puppet’s defeat.

[Experience gained +10% - Level Progression: 44%]

Erin’s sight whirled as the cost. She fell on her rear and leaned herself against a trunk. Her world continued to spin. Her headache became a numbing sensation to her head. She hated using Mystic Blade but she used it precisely because she needed to.

Even in her dazed and weakened state, she could tell from the sounds many more monsters were approaching her, albeit from some distance away.

“Getting desperate here, are we?” Erin mocked the Necromancer in her heart. The attack was nothing to be happy about but being attacked with such a large force, it could only mean that the Magic Relay rod was truly the means to the Necromancer’s ruin.

She forced herself to her feet with her shivering legs. The offset from Mystic Blade had yet to subside but the monsters wouldn’t wait for her to recover.

Serks were the first to reach Erin. They came in a pack of ten. The odds were dangerous for the alone Erin but she had the trees to her advantage. The trees in this forest grew closely to each other. The Serks were forced to move in lines to accommodate their numbers.

Erin imbued Arcane Edge into her saber and swung, sending the magical wave plowing through Serks.

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2% - Level Progression: 54%]

The remaining five serks spread their formation thinly. The scampered around instead of running directly into Erin’s offense. They were encircling Erin.

“Clever bastards, I’ll give you that but… you’re too late.”

Erin grinned. She had recovered enough for her to move with precision. The moment the Serks pounced from all sides, Erin dual wielded both of her swords and began slicing and dicing.

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2%]

[Experience gained +2% - Level Progression: 64%]

[Proficiency reached1Level increment through repeated usage will now be indicated by these words - Arcane Edge: Level 3 increased to Level 4]

“Ugh… yuck…” she groaned, flicking the blood and guts from her skin. She was aware of her own beauty and staining it was something she minded very much. It was a conflicting feeling of her current self and past self. She didn’t care much for her own appearance at first but whenever she had the opportunity to gaze upon her own reflection, she felt it to be too much of a pity to stain such a beauty. Which was why she made an effort to groom herself every now and then. She couldn’t avoid getting dirty but the least she could do was to keep herself clean.

“Hmm?” Erin murmured curiously.

As the gale roared ever louder with the storm picking up, a foul smell drifted to her nose. It’s the smell of a Wight. There was a peculiar underlying scent that hooked her attention. She knew this scent underneath all those stench, it was the scent of the most unpleasant man she had ever met yet in this world, Kane.

“What the fuck is he doing out here? And that stench he had on him...” Erin stumbled upon a realization. “Oh… don’t tell me...”

Before her thoughts trailed any further, Siv’s groan caught her attention.

“Siv, you’re awake.”

“Lady Erin?” the Shewolf-kin murmured as she sat up. “You’re alive?”

“You thought me dead?”

“Everyone did,” Siv replied. “Except for Lady Iris and your lover. They were very confident you couldn’t be killed easily. Your lover even said that you were too adamant to die. It seems they are right.”

Erin chuckled. “Are they safe?”

“They are, last I have seen them.”

“And your brother and employers? They’re safe too?”

“I reckon they are. The cart that fell off along with me is one of Lord Hegan’s. It was a storage of his wares. I was assigned to protect it when the monsters attacked.”

“Then that’s quite a loss your employer had faced.”

“It is but the important matter is that Lord Hegan and his son are safe.” Siv looked around. “I gather that you saved me from the fall?”

Erin nodded.

“What about the others? There were four other guards with me.”

“I saw three fell with you but I didn’t see a fourth.”

“And what of the three?”

Erin shook her head slowly.

“I see,” Siv muttered with her gaze lowered. “Their deaths will be honored in the blood of their enemies.”

Erin smiled wryly with cramped cheeks.

Siv turned her gaze to Erin. She crossed her palms together on the ground and lowered her head. “I, Siv of the Blackwood Tribe, offer my deepest gratitude. As a token of my appreciation, I will humbly take on any request you so desired as long it doesn’t conflict the code of my tribe.”

Erin was startled by the declaration. She didn’t save her for a reward. She saved on an impulse. Erin wanted to reject but she had enough experience with people like Siv, rejecting their offer was an insult to their honor. It was better to accept it and ask for something mild as a reward.

“Putting aside your gratitude for now, we should—”

A loud roar interrupted her sentence. Erin turned to the sound and found the Razor Grizzly jumping off the cliff, sliding down by the wall. The red lightning was slowly searing through its flesh and hide but at the same time, it was protecting it from all manners of physical and ethereal dangers.

Voices came from above, shouting at below. “The Grizzly just jumped off! It’s trying to escape!”

“Wrong,” Erin retorted in her heart. “It’s looking for me.”

The Razor Grizzly landed with a shake of the earth.

“Oh fuck me,” Erin uttered. She turned to Siv. “Can you fight?”

Siv shook her head. “Sadly, my weapon is nowhere to be found. Even if I have my weapon, the Razor Grizzly is too much for the two of us.”

“So… run?”

“Run,” Siv agreed with a nod.

And the two started running without waiting for the Razor Grizzly to recover from its fall.

Erinthea - Faerie-kin: Three-Tailed Fox-kin

Level: 13 | Status: Moderate Exhaustion

Might: 20 | Arcane: 20 | Finesse: 19

Magic Arts

Spirit Magic Lv. 8 | Arcane Edge Lv. 4 | Arcane Armor Lv. 6 | Lightning Magic Lv. 2

Combat Arts

Sword Art Lv. 7 | Fleet Foot Lv. 5 | Brawler Lv. 4

Innate Skills

Appraisal Lv. Ex | Night Vision Lv. Ex | Sixth Sense Lv. Ex | Toxin Resistance Lv. 1 | Lust Deviant Lv. Ex

Unique Talent

Mystic Blade Lv. Ex | Revenant Lv. Ex

Level Progression: 64%

Remaining Skill Points: 2

Remaining Ability Points: 2

*****

Siv - Beast-kin: Wolf-kin of the Blackwood Tribe

Age: Unknown (For now) | Level: 21

Might: 30 | Arcane: 5 | Finesse: 20

Magic Arts - None

Combat Arts - Sword Art Lv. 4 | Fleet Foot Lv. 3 | Brawler Lv. 5 | Polearm Mastery Lv. 3 | Body Strengthening Lv. 3

Innate Skills - Beast Form Lv. 2