They continued on for another hour. The dense forest opened up into a small clearing. Light bounced and reflected against a shimring pool of liquid.
“Water!” Jorge, one of the first years, waltzed forward.
Josh was quick to reach out his hand and yank him back.
Astrid glanced at Jorge’s equipnt. It was of common materials that most of the military used for the beginning of their hopefully long journey. Adding to the fact that she couldn’t rember his face ant he was in the Lower District.
Unlike the nobles who underwent strict training and leadership classes, the Lower District civilians lacked the sa level of education.
“Astrid,” Josh said, “anything crawling around the waterhole?”
“Nothing.”
“Alright, walk in formation.” Josh crept forward with his shield pointed towards the source of potential danger.
Astrid gazed at the pool of water. The back of the bank’s walls were steep, and tree roots poked out from the dirt. However, the front had a gentle slope that allowed one to enter with little trouble. Animal markings were visible in the mud; claws, little feet, and hooves. They also didn’t seem to care about leaving their droppings by the water.
Using her Psych Domain, there was nothing in the water. An idea popped up into her head once she looked at the apprehensive expressions on the first year's faces.
Do they think it’s a waste of ti to be so cautious? Astrid wondered. She touched Mina’s shoulder and flashed a mischievous smile.
“Oh no,” Mina muttered under her breath.
Astrid put her plan into action. She ford a perfect illusion within the water that had an uncanny resemblance to the alligator that she had dealt with in the swampy town before. The muddy water mostly covered its visage. She [Crashed] the water, exploding. The scaly monster appeared fully for the first years.
The alligator’s maw widened and displayed its savage teeth and powerful jaws that allowed it to exist for an incredible amount of ti.
Astrid exploded small clusters of matter within its mouth and created the illusion of a powerful roar. It wasn’t perfect and anyone with a lick of experience could tell that it was fake, but that wasn’t so for the young Wayfarers.
The first years brandished their weapons and shield in a flash of panic. The monster disappeared as the water splattered and covered the Wayfarers in murky water.
“Wow, that was a big one,” Astrid said in shock.
Josh let out a relieved sigh and broke out into a grin.
Gloria let out a puff of air as she stifled her laugh, but she didn’t care for the feelings of the first years. Her laugh broke free and held her stomach.
“Wh-who did that?” Jorge spun around as his hands still trembled.
“Doesn’t matter who did it.” Tony took a step forward. “Although that was just a test, the fact remains that anything could lurk within the waters. Scouting abilities aren’t perfect, after all.”
Jorge gnawed on his lips and nodded.
“Alright, fill your containers, then we’ll be off,” Tony said as he approached the water.
Astrid approached and took her bottle from her waist and filled it up. She took out a pure white tablet from her pocket and dropped it into her water bottle. With a little shake, it was ready to be consud.
With a higher constitution, one could stave off hunger for far longer than average, also water. But for the lower levels, and especially the mage or dexterity users it was different. Although they needed less than an un-awakened person, it was a major part of keeping one's mana regenerated and empowered.
Leena ford a container from her tal control and gathered an enormous amount of water. She hoisted it up with one arm and placed it securely on her shoulder.
“Let’s head back,” Tony said.
With a water supply obtained, they returned to camp. At one side of the camp lay many raised rectangles in rows. Judging by so of the second years resting upon them, they seed to be the beds. They had made use of their bedrolls and rolled them across the raised dirt for a more comfortable sleep.
Many Wayfarers had different ways of making camp. So used their earth mages to raise the earth like the second years on this mission had done. Others willed the plants and trees to create nature's very own hammock. While the ones that didn’t have the luxury of having a utility mage had to sleep on the cold hard floor, or hand-craft their own shelter from sticks and rope.
With all the jobs done and with enough water to last for a week, most of the Wayfarers settled down. They rotated the manpower around to scout out the area, but Astrid wasn’t too fussed about going. She was waiting until nightfall to make her move, and nightfall soon arrived.
Astrid waltzed out of the camp under the gaze of Calum and the other second years, with Leena trailing behind her.
Being deep under the ocean ant that there was a lack of light, and with it being a stormy night above, ant that the moon struggled to illuminate the Town.
Thanks to her training before the Underbelly subjugation, Astrid relied on her matter control and sight to make out all of her surroundings.
Leena illuminated the surrounding area with multiple light stones attached to her shoulder. Although they risked being seen from a distance, it was better than not being able to see at all. It was a necessary risk, especially since Leena couldn’t see in the dark.
“Excited, Leena?” Astrid held her hands behind her back.
“I am,” Leena said. “I’m itching for a good fight.”
Astrid heard a slap. Turning around, Leena had her fist placed against her palm.
“Ah, sorry, my lady, was that loud?” Leena bowed her head, but she couldn’t hide her excited grin.
“Just a little–”
A flash of red appearing interrupted Astrid's words. From the corner of her eye, blots of red rushed towards them.
The mont the newcors interrupted Astrid’s words, Leena had already taken her position at the front. Her right hand seeped with tal and a massive tal lance appeared. A shield erged from her left arm and protected her side.
A beastly howl scratched at Astrid’s ears.
The light from Leena’s shoulders illuminated the area in front and a large group of green, shining pearls flashed from within the trees. The bravest of the monsters crept forward and showed off its magnificent fur. The four-legged beast was arrogant, or perhaps confident in its strength as it sauntered to the side. Its enormous paws thudded against a twig. Snap.
Level 41 - Voltaic Wolf
Level 36 - Crackled Wolf
Level 34 - Crackled Wolf
“I want to try sothing,” Astrid said, “you face the rest of them.”
Leena nodded. Astrid’s eyes turned to nothing but white as her body vanished from this world and appeared into a new one. Four wolves in total looked at each other in confusion until their beastly nature kicked in. They hunched their shoulders and prepared to pounce.
Level 41 - Voltaic Wolf
This one is the strongest, while the chieftain was level forty. That ans that the leader within the town should be in the late fifties, or even sixties. Astrid thought as she crafted the battlefield of her choice.
The white world around them transford into a sandpit. With a rumble, enormous stone pillars erged from the ground. Around the sand pit, many rows of seats appeared and with it, people were cheering. They wanted blood. They wanted entertainnt.
I can really create whatever I want with no limitation, huh? Astrid smiled.
The Voltaic Wolf stepped forward. Spiked rods stood up from its shoulder blades and a crackle of lightning spat out from them.
This will be fun. Astrid chuckled.
Astrid tore the pillars from the ground and lifted them above her head with nothing but her mind. They floated above like enormous suspended arrows. With her command, they raged toward the wolves. They attempted to dodge, but it was of no use. The pillars slamd into their bodies. They continued and ground the wolves into a bloodied, mangled ss of fur and bone.
You defeated - Level 34 - Crackled Wolf
You defeated - Level 36 - Crackled Wolf
You defeated - Level 41 - Voltaic Wolf
Experience is reduced for defeating enemies lower than your level.
Skill level up!
Mind Domain level 2 -> Mind Domain level 4
Experience gained!
Astrid woke up from her Mind Domain. It was a strange feeling. One mont being in one space, and the next she was back in her original world. Everything was just so real that it was difficult to distinguish between realities.
She peered open her eyes as the sight… and the sll of dead wolves greeted her.
Leena stood over the last wolf and yanked out her lance from its dense fur. A smattering of blood covered the elongated dense tal in her hand.
“Are you good to continue?” Astrid asked.
“I can't consider small fries a al, my lady.” Leena stood tall in her ford suit of armour.
“Then let’s go,” Astrid said. “It’s going to take a while to level up. We better get to it.”
Astrid and Leena sprinted through the forest, wiping out any monsters that they t along with their mission towards the town.
It wasn’t long before they broke past the tree line. Astrid gazed at the town in front of her. Sounds of striking filled the surrounding area. Many flickering torches lit up the town as hundreds of kobolds walked in lines to an enormous building. It had a single sheet of tal roof.
The kobolds pushed heavy carts filled with so sort of material. The distance made it difficult for Astrid to see exactly what it was.
She moved her vision to where they were coming from. They had carved so sort of tunnel into an enormous hill.
Are they mining for rock, or tal? Was that in the report? Astrid frowned. Sothing strange was happening once more.
Was everything adding up, or was she looking into it too deeply, just like Gloria said? She needed a closer look at what they were mining.
“What’s the plan, my lady?” Leena said.
Astrid pinched her chin. If they charged down and faced them all at once, although she was confident in her strength, she had never faced such a quantity of enemies before. She wasn’t sure if she would run out of mana, even with the potions she had. She simply didn’t have the experience to know.
No matter how strong she and Leena were, it was of no use if they got sward. And it looked like they had lookouts with archers all around. They were shockingly prepared for an attack. From the mories of the chieftain, she was aware they received invasions now and then, but this was different.
“How would they handle one of their own starting a war?” Astrid grinned as a plan was forming within her mind.
It was ti for a civil war.
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