E-book 7: Chapter 44: Dungeon Buddies

Dovalion straightened from his bow and stepped ahead, his white-hot, flaming greatsword held up and tilted barely again in a excessive guard. His voice got here out of his totally enclosed helmet, echoing unusually, like a person talking from inside a nicely, “So, you have got a hidden ally?”

Victor ignored him, grinning, Lifedrinker held loosely earlier than him. She was keen, tugging towards the enormous warrior, hungry to check her edge in opposition to his thick plate armor. Victor usually fought Lesh with out Iron Berserk, so he wasn’t daunted by the person’s measurement. The armor-clad man wasn’t a lot bigger than Victor, in spite of everything, and Victor was stronger than he appeared, which mentioned rather a lot. He quietly circled the tall warrior, his posture extra like a wrestler’s than a correct duelist’s. He saved his middle of gravity low, his shoulders and arms unfastened, leaning barely ahead in a hungry, predatory posture.

“I see you’ve dropped your rage. I salute your management. A check of ability, then?” Dovalion did one thing fast along with his fingers, and the good sword whipped by way of the air earlier than him, arcing in a circle, the white flames flaring as he spun it. It was a fast motion, one meant to showcase his expertise, and when his sword stopped shifting, it was as soon as once more in a excessive guard, able to strike or react to Victor.

For his half, Victor felt he’d been affected person sufficient. He darted ahead, thrusting out Lifedrinker, feinting a crushing blow towards the enormous’s face. Dovalion tilted his blade to parry, however Victor yanked the axe again on the final second, darted previous the warrior’s flank, and carried out a fast, lightning hack at his torso. Dovalion was quick and nimble, however he was hampered by his thick armor, at the very least sufficient in order that he did not dodge the blow. Lifedrinker sparked and flared as she tried to dig by way of the heavy plate on his abdomen and aspect, however, so far as Victor might inform, she solely bit about midway by way of.

“A superb axe, sir, however my armor is a relic from an historic world, crafted from the ore of a fallen-ungh!” He choked off his impromptu lesson concerning his household heirloom as Victor launched himself into an assault, swinging Lifedrinker in a collection of swooping, lightning hacks, driving the enormous again, scraping and denting the armor in a bathe of molten sparks. Lifedrinker’s frustration was palpable as she flared and glowed, utilizing each little bit of the sting Victor’s inspiration-attuned spirit fragment gave her.

Dovalion turned considered one of his heavy shoulder plates into the assault and swung his blazing sword in a fantastic round cleave. Victor was detest to let up the stress of his assault, and he determined to maintain swinging, shifting with the cleave, hoping to mitigate the injury. The blazing greatsword struck him within the ribs, sparking in opposition to his wyrm-scale, the sting discovering buy because it slid between two scales, ripping by way of the heavy wyrm-hide backing, then splitting Victor’s pores and skin and sliding alongside his ribs. Dovalion channeled some Power, whipping the sword by way of the arc of his cleave sooner than ought to have been attainable and transitioning into an overhead chop that Victor barely averted by diving to the aspect and rolling. When he bounded to his toes, he was grinning like a madman.

“First blood, sirrah!” Dovalion’s hole voice introduced as he spun his flaming sword in one other flourish, monitoring Victor’s predatory circling actions. Victor grunted in response, his wound already forgotten, regardless of the sheeting blood operating down his aspect beneath his armor to dribble onto the grass. He might not be berserk, however his vitality was excessive, his physique was robust, and he wasn’t frightened a couple of minimize on his flank. Grunting in frustration, irritated that Lifedrinker couldn’t pierce the person’s formidable armor with out his berserk energy behind her, Victor decided to proceed the dance, to discover a hole in that armor or, failing that, beat on it lengthy sufficient that it began to have an effect on the person beneath.

So, he darted ahead once more, his nice thighs bulging with the power of his sprint. He wove his axe, his associate, by way of a collection of hacks, feints, frenetic combos, and parries. For each two or three swings of Lifedrinker, Dovalion solely answered with one along with his greatsword, selecting to make use of his bracers, pauldrons, and even helmet to deflect most of the blows. He was expert with that mighty sword, however he fought a really completely different fashion of fight than Victor or, if he have been sincere, anybody he’d ever sparred with. He was like a juggernaut, wading by way of Victor’s mighty blows, trusting his armor and durable body to soak up the injury whereas he waited to ship decisive hacks and thrusts with that lethal, burning sword.

Victor started to amass cuts on his arms that smoked because the sword boiled his blood however did not ignite his flesh. His wyrm-scale armor deflected oblique hits however parted beneath cleaves or stabs. Nonetheless, it held nicely sufficient for Victor to roll away from these hits, taking solely minor wounds. A part of Victor grew more and more irritated, craving to unleash extra of his skills. His thoughts was distracted, debating with itself. If he didn’t wish to solid Iron Berserk, superb, then why not unleash his Side of Terror? If not that, then how would Dovalion fare in opposition to the Inevitable Huntsman? Why not some Power Fees? Dovalion was burning Power to hurry his actions; wouldn’t that, at the very least, be honest? Maybe some coyotes or his bear would take pleasure in mixing issues up with the enormous warrior.

Victor gritted his enamel and growled by way of his inner debate, attempting to give attention to his axe work. He wished to offer his ancestors a present. He wished to maintain his different, darker features a secret for now. Greater than any of that, although, he wished to take pleasure in a great, laborious battle, one the place he didn’t have to drag any punches. As Dovalion surged with golden Power and a number of the crumpled dents in his armor popped out and smoothed over, Victor frowned and gave in just a bit, casting Inspiration of the Quinametzin. Because the white-gold mild of inspiration merged with the golden, glowing glory of his banner, Victor smiled and laughed.

As he ducked, weaved, parried, and hacked, he started to see patterns in Dovalion’s actions. He was expert, certain, however he was only a man, and he relied on his armor a fantastic deal. Victor knew he would have gained the battle a dozen instances over if not for that man’s expert use of his nigh-indestructible steel shell. He puzzled if he might name forth the Paragon of the Axe. Would that give his hacks sufficient chew to cleave that steel? He was moderately certain it will, however the issue was that Dovalion didn’t use his weapon like a grasp. He didn’t push Victor’s axe work to the boundaries.

As he dodged again, avoiding one other cleave, Victor shook his head. That was an excuse. Hadn’t he seen glimpses of the ghostly Paragon edge when he’d fought the reaver military? He’d been pushed to his limits, however not as a result of these reavers have been exceptionally expert with their weapons. No, Victor had let his thoughts loosen up, he’d stopped worrying about nonsense, and he’d embraced the battle. With that thought, Victor endeavored to stop all additional considering. He inhaled deeply and felt the magma in his chest surge however savored the heat somewhat than interested by utilizing it. As he exhaled with a transparent thoughts, he went to work.

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“Bah!” Lesh growled, thumping his large fist on the thick wood desk, jostling the empty cups and mugs. “Why does he toy with that man?”

Valla appeared away from the battle depicted by way of the magical window and supplied him a pained smile. “He . . . I don’t know, Lesh. He will get unusual concepts in his head. You noticed him battle the reavers. You noticed . . .”

“Aye. I’ve seen sufficient. Some level of delight gained’t let him use his berserking rage.” Lesh clenched and unclenched his fist. “If he doesn’t, although, he would possibly lose. Take a look at the injuries he’s amassed. He has the flawed weapon to battle a person with armor like that!”

“Look nearer.” Valla nodded towards the view window. “His wounds are all however closed, and he’s not taken one shortly. Can’t you see a distinction? Maybe he’d been distracted, or maybe he was getting a really feel for this armored warrior, however don’t you see how he dances round him?”

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Lesh narrowed his eyes and stared for some time, watching the battle. Valla noticed understanding begin to daybreak because the dragonkin watched. She knew she was proper. She might see the metal-clad large burning Power increasingly steadily, attempting to hurry his greatsword’s cleaves, repairing his armor because it increasingly quickly amassed dents and blackened rating marks from Lifedrinker’s hungry, burning edge. At the same time as his burning greatsword moved in almost invisible blurs, Victor was by no means there to really feel its fiery edge. Was he reacting too quick? Was he considering forward, conscious of what the warrior would do earlier than he did it? Valla didn’t know, however she felt her coronary heart swelling with delight. The gang hadn’t realized it but, however Victor was making a idiot of the enormous.

***Roots of the Mountain – Fundamental: A mountain weathers all storms. A mountain isn’t moved. The mountain strikes the earth. With this spell energetic, solely the power of a real cataclysm can uproot or shift you. Power Value: 100 per second of energetic use. Cooldown: Minimal.***

***Congratulations! Your Imbue Spirit – Fundamental has grow to be Imbue Spirit – Improved.***

***Imbue Spirit – Improved: You’ll be able to imbue an object or particular person with a shard of your personal spirit, granting a few of your personal energy and can to the recipient. On the improved stage, the granted boons are bigger. This impact will final till you recall your spirit shard. Power Value: Variable. Cooldown: Lengthy***

“Badass,” Victor mentioned softly, sitting up within the grass.

Sora blinked quickly and checked out him. “That was various Power. There are some very sad iron rankers sitting round Sojourn watching us proper now.”

“Yep.” Victor stood up, grunting as he did so. He hung Lifedrinker in her harness, then stood there, rubbing the soot and blood on his arms as if he had any probability of getting clear and not using a bathtub. The Power had totally healed him; not even a scab remained of the numerous cuts Dovalion had given him. Whereas Sora scanned the sides of the clearing, Victor summoned his coyotes, this time utilizing inspiration-attuned Power. They yapped, yipped, and whined as they circled him, and Victor laughed. “Go discover the steps going up, hermanos.”

“Why are they generally evil and darkish and typically shiny and filled with exuberance?”

Victor checked out her and narrowed his eyes. She was ever asking questions. When she appeared again at him and not using a contact of animosity, he shrugged, relenting. “Generally I need them to be quiet hunters, and typically I need them to be intelligent scouts.”

“I’m sorry to ask a lot. I understand how it feels when strangers wish to know what you are promoting. Could I ask you yet another, although?”

Victor’s lips curled right into a smile as he tried out the annoying line he’d heard from so many coaches over time, “You simply did.”

She groaned and apparently determined simply to forge forward. “Why didn’t you retain your large measurement if you fought Dovalion? I imply, I do know you’re fairly giant as you’re, however you have been . . . a lot bigger earlier than.”

“I don’t know. I wished a great battle, and I knew my ancestors would have extra enjoyable watching a battle like that.”

“They’re watching?” Sora appeared round, squinting with suspicion.

“Not at all times. If I need them to observe, I’ve to offer them one thing worthwhile to see.” Victor might really feel his coyotes protecting floor, might really feel their pleasure as they hunted for the objective he’d given them. Thus far, they hadn’t run into something to fret about, so he sat down within the grass.

“However,” Sora winced, shrugging as if to apologize for asking one more query, “why would you like them to observe?”

“How will I earn their favor in the event that they don’t see the glory I obtain? I’ve to earn my place amongst them, you already know. I don’t wish to present up like a weakling with no nice story to inform, begging to hold water. I wish to present up and be celebrated. I wish to earn a great place amongst them, and I need different titans to cry my identify once they go into battle.”

“Ah!” Sora sat down in entrance of him, leaning nearer. “So, you have got a clan to make proud? Titans who observe you? Kids?”

Victor sighed and leaned again, ready for phrase from considered one of his scouts. He closed his eyes and let the warmth from the incongruous dungeon jungle convey a sheen of sweat to his golden-brown pores and skin. It felt good—proper. One way or the other, he missed the jungle regardless that he’d by no means visited one in his life. “Sufficient questions, Sora. We’re dungeon mates; if we keep mates afterward, we are able to study extra about one another.”