Book 6. Chapter 3: Tier 2 Practice

Book 6. Chapter 3: Tier 2 Practice

He reviewed her new class, as Bloodberris armor and axe began to shift and become ready for battle.

[Legendary Class: Echidna's Champion Arch Cleric of Twilight]

[Effect: +4 All Attributes per level]

[30% Increased Durability and 15% Increased effectiveness of Twilight Spells]

[30% Effectiveness in Strength, Constitution, Wisdom]

[An evolution of the Holy Dark Priestess class, this monstrous cleric controls power over both holy light and darkness interchangeably. The class combines a powerful twilight aura and devastating melee capabilities to be an impossible to ignore figure on any battlefield.]

Her class had managed to jump from Rare to Legendary in a single go. This significantly improved her durability, while also improving her casting power. Then, it was almost as if Echidna had decided that she had too many spells, and combined many of them into a single, more effective one. She even utilized the Life Drain spell that Blood never really used.

[Skills Merged: Dark Siphon, Weakness, Life Drain, Absorb Strength, Armor of Faith -> Twilight Monarch]

[The powerful twilight aura of the Arch Cleric enables allies to siphon off strength and life force from enemies they strike, while also slowly weakening and draining life from enemies that enter the Arch Cleric's monstrous twilight aura. Allies defenses are bolstered with saintly protection.]

Jake wondered how Avalara would deal with this, but realized he would see it quite soon, as the two surged toward one another. In an attempt to make Jake satisfied, and also because it was fun for her, Berri had made a quick shift to her armor.

Her armor had already an odd champion belt that protected her belly, almost like a shield. But she shifted it further, and now it really looked like she had an actual shield there, wrapped around her waist area.

Bloodberris axe met Avalaras giant club with a large crashing sound, the two titans matching their strength. Bloods Twilight Monarch ability sent a black aura washing over Avalara, the ability covering a wide radius.

The vigor of life appeared to fight the effect for a moment, before the aura covered her body and sapped her strength. Bloodberris tail slammed into her chest and shredded chunks of plant and bark off, sending Ava stumbling back. Life was being drained from her verdant vitality, and being absorbed in a haze by Bloodberri.

The two traded blows for a time, and Jake started looking over their shared status sheet further.

[Bloodberri Status Level 26]

[Strength: 279]

[Dexterity: 165]

[Constitution: 243]

[Intelligence: 187]

[Wisdom: 187]

[Charisma: 189]

His monstrous wifes stats were the most unbalanced of his wives. Her previous classes had barely granted her any dexterity. While their tempering had increased it slightly, this hadnt yet made up for her lacking attribute. On the other hand, her strength and constitution was the highest among his party, thanks to her trait.

[Echidnean Fortitude]

[Effect: +80 Strength, +40 Constitution.]

[This being is stronger and more resilient than others, due to having a monstrous size and a chimeral constitution that improves power and fortitude.]

Her old trait had given her 45 strength and 20 constitution at the final level, but now this would be a static capability, likely only improving when they increased in Tier once more.

[Bloodberris Level 26 Combat Skill Sheet]

[Expert Mana Control: 1]

[Technique: Monstrous Twilight Paampu Attam: 1]

[Expert Twilight Magic: 1]

[Expert Champion Magic: 1]

[Expert Runic Magic: 1]

[Expert Energy Control: 1]

[Divine Energy Manipulation: 1]

[Auril Enhancement, Healing, Manifestation: 5]

[Bloodberris Level 26 Spell List]

[Holy Twilight Spells: Weakness, Absorb Strength, Life Drain, Dark Siphon, Armor of Faith, Divine Intervention, Resurrection]

[Champion Spells: Twilight Divide, Twilight Monarch, Call Divine]

[Framework Spells: Telekinesis]

Her spellform usage with Telekinesis had been used enough that the Framework had actually supplied her with a skill. Now, her telekinesis would improve with her mana control, and her control over it had massively improved overnight.

The total force she could bring about was probably less than if she had moved on to the more advanced spellforms, but the convenience of the Framework-assisted spell made it like an invisible hand Blood could use with little more than a thought.

Blood started using her telekinetic shoves to displace Avalara slightly, their axe cleaving into her plant flesh. More strength was drained by Bloods aura, her movements becoming enhanced.

After a few blows, things started to look one-sided, but then Avalara roared, and pushed her sublimation. The verdant jungle surrounding them shifted and twisted, until it became a swamp-like mire. The auril covering Avalaras body shifted from auril to nethril, a black aura of her own.

Black spears rose from the swampy mire, attacking Bloodberris tail and body, and Avalaras club was covered in black thorns. Going on the assault once more, she swung her club at the Arch Cleric.

But Bloodberris body was then covered in black and white energy, the result being an almost bronze haze as the energies merged from her Technique. The spikes and blades and her tail in motion easily shredded the oncoming black spears from the mire, and an odd, stuttering motion shifted her upper body out of the clubs trajectory.

Their counter was fierce, but the axe was met with Avalaras large antlers. The two continued trading their blows, as Jake looked over Bloodberris final sheet.

[Bloodberris Level 26 Non-Combat Skill Sheet]

[Advanced Tailoring 2]

[Savage Boneforging: 1]

[Savage Boneforging Subskills: Essence Extraction, Essence Infusion, Bone Working, Essence Forging]

[Holy Twilight Hearthian Core: Level 1]

[Misc Skills: Energy Vacuum, Twin-souled and Twin-minded, Echidnean Fortitude, Expert Purifying Flames, Hearthian Bond, Hearthian Presence, Auto-Loot]

Bloodberri had also gained a special crafting skill, which gave bonuses to using monster essence and bones into her armor-working results. The Essence Forging subskill enabled them to work and manipulate nearly any hide or bone that had monstrous essence in it, similar to how using auril she had been able to manipulate the auril hides and bones from Highlands creatures.

Using the other essence skills, they could easily create or forge bone and hide armors, infusing and meshing the essences like molding clay. This had made her output substantial, the number of masterwork hide and bone forged armors they sold to Guild members or the greater Multiversal Market was significant.

Avalara was much more massive than Bloodberri, but it did not feel like it as the two fought. Bloodberris long armored tail was filled with strength and power, and enabled her to move rapidly and meet Avas blows with enough momentum to match.

Blood also added her telekinesis to slow down Ava or speed up her own weapon, the large weapons smacking into each other with loud sounds echoing out.

Jake knew they could go much harder in their fight, but they were holding back for the spar. The two went back and forth for a time, Berri focusing on mixing and utilizing the various energies available to her. Eventually, Avalara backed off to heal her avatar up once more, Jake sending some additional mana and auril.

As much as Berri wanted to show off her new Twilight Divide, it was not an appropriate skill for a duel.

She could still use the old Maul of Hestia-Echidna ability as it was previously, and even while using an axe now. But the new ability had merged her Between Heaven and Hell and the older ability, into a devastatingly powerful attack.

Wanting to give her the appropriate opportunity, Jake provided her the perfect target: Bill the stegosaurus. Even larger now, Bills construct was scaled up to Jakes level. Covered in even more plants, the template Jake had captured became more powerful as the Framework scaled the creature up with his Mana Control skill. However, it did not include the actual evolution the beast would accomplish when entering the second Tier.

Jake would need to capture a new one once the beasts of Highlands started hitting the second Tier, soon. Berri squealed at the opportunity to destroy her hated foe and not just in her dreams, and working together with Blood, a wave of black then white was sent over Bill.

This knocked her back, and the spriggons redoubled their efforts to regrow the forest lost, as several more wolves crashed into her. Tanda changed her position even as she added more seeds to her jungle with Rampant Growth, her thicket having grown impressive from nowhere.

Jake took this moment to look further at her status sheet.

[Tanda's Level 26 Combat Skill-sheet]

[Expert Auril Mastery: 1]

[Auril Mastery Subskills: Enhancement, Healing, Manifestation, Harmony, Sublimation]

[Technique: Cyclic Avenging Flames: 1]

[Expert Mana Control: 1]

[Expert Energy Control: 1]

[Advanced Runic Magic: 4]

[Divine Energy Manipulation: 1]

[Expert Druidic Magic: 1]

[Druidic Magic Spells: Rampant Growth, Area Plant Control, Rejuvenation, Verdant Barrage, Bloom Burst]

[Expert Champion Magic: 1]

[Champion Spells: Cyclic Resonance, Call Divine, Avenging Strike, Verdant Rebirth]

Not much had changed here not already understood, besides her Technique, Cyclic Avenging Flames. Jake guessed that this technique was what allowed her to produce the odd flames of life, cycling between those and her deathly flames filling her body.

Her Non-combat skillsheet was next.

[Tandas Level 26 Non-Combat Skillsheet]

[Magic Botany: 1]

[Misc Skills: Cyclical Auril Heart, Hearthvine Ivy, Death Absorption, Auto-loot, Hearthian Bond]

Her efforts to magically create plants, long term, had bore fruit for a crafting skill. Many of the plants she used for battle had short lifespans, merely meant for combat. However, she had begun attempting to master growing a wide variety of plants in the hopes of the Framework aiding her for her purposes, and it didnt let her down.

Soon, her hopes were to grow various plants with different energies, both for Fhesiahs purposes, but also as a means of accomplishing the familys numerous goals. She was a tremendous help with her Harmony ability, able to participate in any family members crafts, but she had a personal quest to see if she too could produce something of use to others.

For now, she was spending a bit of time with her childhood friend Avina, the snow owl beastkin girl from Harmony Peaks, and Avalara, working on increasing her capabilities as an arborist. Her skill was only in the first Tier for now, but she was still deciding which subskills she wanted to earn and focus on for her progression.

Tanda eventually showed herself, green flames filling her as she charged with her halberd. Ava was happy to meet her with her club, and while Tandas strength and speed as she flapped her wings and swung her enlarged blade at the giant figure was less than Ophelias, the fluidity of her strikes were impressive.

Tandas vines from the surrounding jungle lashed and whipped out, the many plants attacking the current enemy.

The deathbloom began to release their corrosive mist onto Avas larger body, and her deer face was crinkling with distastealong with her non-combat avatar, sitting next to Ophelia.

It was then that her bodys aura and sublimation turned toward life, and the deathbloom was finally squashed as vines tore them to shreds. Her club grew in length, auril extending it further. Avas eyes then snapped to Tandas location, where the beastkin girl nodded and began preparing her own attack.

A manifestation of a powerful stag appeared, covered in life and death. An oppressive aura was released, the weight of an auril sovereigns will. From what Jake understood, Ava had enough control over this through her connection with all beastkin, that she could make a powerful manifestation of nearly anything other beastkin could. He still didnt know what her personal manifestation looked like or did, but he imagined it resulted in that golden flame they saw within her core.

A wave of death energy from Tanda was released during this time, as she used her ability, [Bloom Burst]. Many flowers bloomed, releasing a significant quantity of pollen, steeped with dense auril that surged toward Tanda. The plants had been gathering and drawing up auril from the surrounding area, to release in this attack all at once.

The pollen gathered around Tanda and enhanced her green flames, empowering her halberd to grow several sizes larger. She then swung the giant blade, which crashed into the oncoming stag, cleaving through it and dispelling it.

In truth, there was a lot left to explore about Tanda and Avas attacks, but they called it quits there. Tandas sublimation could shift her created jungle over to death as her cycle moved to the next stage, a savage jungle that embodied the deathly hunt.

However, as her class featured, it turned her into a deadly assassin. Her vicious attacks were something that could only really be fought by matching the severity, or expending significant effort to block. While Avas avatar could die without too much loss, resurrecting it was quite the exertion to expend for a spar.

They would practice more later, when they didnt have fragile passengers, and they had improved their control and mastery of their abilities further.

The spriggons triggered a few spells, drawing the many plants to consume themselves. They quickly withered away, but not before the flowers curled in on themselves, and produced seeds. Those seeds drifted into Tandas bow, a special magical plant quiver that stored the various seeds for her Verdant Barrage. The spriggons themselves then did the same, and then shot into the hearth in her chest, ready to be reborn once more.

As Tanda flew back and hugged Ava, her smile was beaming, and her tail was wagging. That was fun! Well need to practice more, and go again! Your battle avatar was really sturdy. Tanda then went to enjoy some refreshments.

Avas nose crinkled cutely again. Playing the bad guy kinda stinks. Still, it was fun to see what you girls could do.

Jake asked her, Did you wanna have a go at Bill next? That way, you can show off a little bit, too.

Ava hesitated, and Berri narrowed her eyes on her as she continued chewing her meat. Could it be she actually liked Bill?

Ava seemed to notice this, and chuckled. Im fine with destroying the poor construct, but Im still working on my bigger attacks. As it stands now, it takes me too long to build up for using them in combat, and its too wild for using near allies.

Seeing the girls new abilities, even Avas as she was limited, made Jake excited about the future. He was looking forward to how Tanda and Avalara both transformed the battlefield, and Bloodberri could fight alongside his army of summons, or many allies.

He could already imagine dozens of strategies for their team to take advantage of these various elements as they fought either powerful individuals, or massive quantities of enemies.

It was Blood that replied, Youll get there, Ava. Youve been alive for a long time, so your fundamentals are far above ours. Controlling and casting through that Avatar must be strange?

Ava nodded. Its difficult to explain, but its different from my main one in numerous ways. Using Oran and my seed as the base made things compatible, but this only goes so far. When I first started, I felt like I was upside-down or deep underwater while controlling my body and auril, my senses tricking me. Now Im much better, but I still have a long way to go.

Tanda finished drinking a smoothie, a wide smile on her face. She asked, So whats next? That was a good workout, but we didnt kill all that much time. We have a few weeks before Fhesiah is back.

He had gotten confirmation from Valtor that his date plans were confirmed during the fighting, so Jake was more than happy to give his queen the good news.

Jake looked over at Blood, giving her a smile. Whatever we want. Im sure everyone here has their own goals, but we should have fun in the coming weeks. Im going to spend the rest of the day with my devoted queen, but well all get to enjoy some time together soon.

Blood smiled in return, hugging Jakes body close before pulling back to look at him, and then her eyes narrowed on him. A whole day? You already have something planned?

Jake chuckled. I do. Cmon, lets go get dressed and ready to go. Youve waited far too long for a proper date.

Blood now looked a little worried, her planning mind moving miles a minute. Oh, but what should I wear?

Why dont you wear something a little fancy. Highlands doesnt have many places that fit, but I have just the place in mind.

Bloods smile was beaming before she kissed Jake and teleported away, but Berri was somewhat annoyed. This sounds super boring! The food better be good, wherever were going.

Blood and Berri gone, Jake gave his love to Ophelia and Tanda, the two heading off to join with Seamus in training the beastkin. That left only Avalara, and her giant avatar standing off in the distance.

Id like to get some time with you alone soon, Ava.

She smiled, and crossed her leg in front of her. Were alone now.

He chuckled. True, but I mean for more than just a few moments. I feel like I dont know where to start, with you.

Ava tugged her mixed-colored hair behind her deer ear, before she teased, What do you mean, start? Arent we already at the finish?

Jake arched his eyebrow in question. In truth, they had not gotten much time together. They had celebrated Winters Giving, and he felt like he was barely starting to know her. Of course, Jake had spent time with Ava plenty as a group.

Ava chuckled, and gave him a warm smile. You should know, beastkin girls are quick to love. I already accepted you as my mate, having a good understanding of you as a person long before we shared our first words. Were opposite in that, at least from your perspective. Allow me to share with you, how I feel.

She closed her eyes, and sent how she felt for him over their bond.

There was a precious warmth, a sense of pride and respect. There was a longing for his touch, a desire for them to become closer.

The emotions and their strength she sent surprised Jake. He reached a sudden understanding, just as her voice entered his ears.

Fhesiah told me you were a little intimidated by my age, and my strange nature as a world. But in the end, Im beastkin, and you dont have to worry about a thing with me. I just need to make sure that you fall in love with me.