VILLAGE ASSAULT

  Tanner and Connie join Milly and Jackson at the meeting point. “How did it go,” Milly asks Tanner.

  “Pretty good, Connie was on fire.”

  Jackson laughs and tells him, “You should have seen Milly, she jumped into the air with her spear crackling with lighting. Stabbed the first warg in the neck, almost cutting its spine in two. Then when the sonic component of her spell went off, the damn thing's head blew clean off and flew into the woods. It was Epic.” he says excitedly.

  Blushing Milly tells the other two, “He is exaggerating,”

  Jackson standing behind Milly, shakes his head mouths. “No I am not.”

  Tanner, smiling, tells the others, “Let’s meditate and gather Essence so we are topped off when the others join us. I want us to start as soon as possible after the others come back.”

  “I take it everything went smooth?” Tanner asks as Claire and Dylan run up.

  “Everything went well” Claire reports.

  Mick asks the new arrivals, “Do you both need to top off?”

  “No, we meditated on the run here, we are good to go. How about all of you?”

  A short time later everyone replies, “Ready.” Tanner nods his head and casts Arcane Explosion on the village wall. Jackson sets fire to the village’s buildings that he can see. Mick, Karnna, and Lilli stand just in front of the opening to allow the mounted squad to bunch up in the fence opening before attacking. Claire, Dylan, Milly, and Tanner line up several feet behind Mick, prepared to launch spells at the goblins as they charge out of the village. Iris and Connie stand just a few feet behind the damage casters.

  Jackson, having placed all the buildings in range on fire, runs back to the group announcing, “In coming, ten warg riders. No formation.” The warg riders all try to get through the hole in the fence at once, jamming the outlet. The snarling wolf like creatures attack each other and the other riders. Tanner casts a couple of Arcane Explosions on the tangle of opponents. Killing several goblins outright. Iris, spotting an opportunity casts Grasping Vines on the clump of goblins and wargs, pinning them in place.

  Connie, taking charge, tells the group with a loud call, “My left, follow my lead.” The entire group casts spells on Connie’s target, burning hit points away from the wargs so fast most cannot understand they are in a fight. The goblins, unable to use the dying wargs. dismount, and charge the decuplet on foot.

  The Titans advance, casting fear spells. Mick casts Battle Cry and Shield Smash in rapid succession. The goblins crash with Mick like they ran into a wall. The goblins are left in so much disarray, they cannot lift their weapons. With style and grace, Lilli cuts down the smaller foes while dancing behind her friend. While Karnna cleaves them with brutal efficiency. Mick, coming to the end of the small malignity of goblins, pivots and runs back through the mess, passing Lilli and Karnna going the opposite way. Lilli, Karnna, and Mick, on opposite sides on the small battlefield, walk around the downed foes and begin the grim task of insuring they are dead.

  As the last warg dies, Tanner calls out. “Anyone need heals? Frontline? How is everyone on Mana?”

  Mick announces, “Minor injuries for us.” Iris walks over and heals her sister and Karnna while Connie heals Mick. Both telling Tanner, they would like to top up on mana after healing everyone before they go in.

  Tanner nods his head, “Meditate and give a ready response when you are full.” Once he receives the ready from all, Tanner says, “Formation will be a half circle. We are going to swap some roles, Mick, Lilli, and Karnna will be on defense on the inside of the formation. Casters are all on offense and will hold outside positions. Our frontline will be a reaction force to defend from attacks. Claire you want point? If so your job will be goblin attacker first, damage buildings second.” Thinking for a second, she replies, “I’ll take point.” “Remember enter and turn left, try to stay five paces from the wall. Iris, you are next, three paces to the right of Claire and five paces back. Your job is to heal the front half of the formation, control attackers, and damage goblins. Do not break formation without asking. Got it?”

  Iris repeats his instructions back, Tanner nods. “Jax you are three paces right of Iris and five paces behind her. Your job is to light everything you can on fire.”

  “No problem Tanner.”

  “Lilli you are lined up behind Claire and between your sister and Jax. You have forward defense.”

  “Got it forward defense and over watch on Claire, Iris, and Jax.”

  “Dylan you will be after Jackson three paces right and five paces behind him. You will be the main demolition of the village’s huts and buildings. You will also be furthest out. Mick will be close to your left side. Mick you have over watch on just Dylan he is the heavy hitter for this fight. Keep him safe.” The two young men grin at each other. “I will be five paces behind and three to the left of Dylan. Connie you will behind me five paces back and three pace to my left Your job will be the same as Iris just for the back half of the formation.”

  “Yes sir, heal the back, control, and damage goblins.”

  He turns to Milly, shaking his head at her antics. “Milly you have the rear guard five paces from the fence and five paces behind me.”

  Milly snaps off a salute, “Can do boss man.”

  Tanner gives her a quick grin, then turns to Karnna. “Karnna you have the same spot as Lilli but you will be behind Mick. In addition Connie and Iris will call out targets and direct spells. Questions?”

  Everyone moves into the village proper and settles in formation. Claire calls out, telling the others, “Contact front” Iris, looking over the situation seeing three goblins, tells the group, “Claire take them, call out if you need help. Lilli back her up if needed, Jackson continue lighting fires.” Claire, casting her bolt spells on the closet goblin, causes it to seize. She blasts the second target with the same result, and then she moves to the third goblin. As the third goblin falls, the first climbs to its feet disorientated, and staggers into a clumsy charge at Claire. Not yet ready to cast, Claire calls out, “Lilli.” Lilli’s sword cleaves into the hapless goblin, killing it, while Claire hits her second target again. Lilli, after observing Claire, has her section under control, shifts her attention back to an over watch of her three charges.

  Many of the goblins, confused by the earlier attacks on the village fortifications and now dealing with this latest invasion, are in complete disarray. With the lower-level workers running in all directions, the goblin enforcers cannot maintain order. The overwhelming force that the decuplet brings destroys the goblin defenders with ease. The party, after spreading their path of mayhem around the outskirts of the village, stop at their entry point to regroup into a more appropriate attack formation.

  Tanner looks over the party and tells them. “Arrow head formation, Mick forward point, Lilli, take right please, Karnna take left, Jackson your behind Mick. Connie is behind Jax, heals and over watch again. We need 360 degree surveillance. Follow Connie's lead. She was very effective on our stroll around the village. Claire, Right of Connie, Dylan left of Connie. Iris behind Connie you have heals, Milly and I will be left and right of Iris. Milly we both watch behind and to the sides okay?”

  The party either responds with a chorus of yes, got its, and okays. Tanner continues fleshing out Milly’s plan now that contact has been established. “Mick will lead us straight into the center. Keep your eyes open. Visibility is going to be pretty bad at times with the smoke blowing around. That’s where Milly and Dylan have a chance to shine, keep the smoke away. Let’s move.”

  Mick, leading the party through the blazing village, enters the center square first, with his party close behind. Stopping, they look over the forces arranged before them. The Hobgoblin chieftain, mounted on the largest warg any of them have ever seen, with two warg riders in front of him, and twelve other goblins in front of them. They spot the hobgoblin shaman off to their right side, armed with a large ornate staff. With a guardian force of five well armed and armored goblin warriors, for protection.

  Mind spinning with plans of attack and defense, Tanner settles on one he thinks will be viable. Tanner announces, “Mick, Lilli, Karnna, Iris, and Jackson, defense left. Just keep the low levels busy. The stronger ones will wait to attack until we have defeated the fodder. The rest of us will target the Shaman. We have all seen him heal, he needs to die first. Wait until I bring down his shield, if he has one. Then Connie Curse him until you see a reaction, then use your main damage spells. The rest of the casters all cast your main damage spells on the shaman, hopefully Primal Bolts will stun the shaman. After the shield is down, I’ll hit your targets with Arcane Explosion and alternate focus fire Arcane Missiles on the Shaman. Once the Shaman is down we kill the remaining warriors then join the main fight with the sub-boss. Questions? If not. I need ready reports.”

  The Shaman and Chieftain laugh at the decuplet, mistaking their pause for fear. As the shaman begins casting a complicated spell, the chieftain roars at the goblins assembled before him, with a scream the twelve goblins charge at the decuplet. Mick, having expected his role, and already set up for a charge, screams right back with a wordless shout and meets the goblin charge with one of his own. The sound of the goblins' screams change pitch from anger to anguished when the massed goblins slam against Mick’s shield. Three goblins stagger to the side because of the collision and fall to Lilli’s blade. Mick continues to bash his shield against his enemies while casting his fear spell. More Goblins stumble to Mick’s left. With a battle cry, Karnna jumps from her place alongside Jackson and lands on one of the dazed goblins, cleaving it in two. She takes the other two goblins, weaving her axe in a dazzling display of grace and bloodshed. Jackson casts Psionic Wail on the goblin's flanks, preventing them from surrounding the titans. While casting Arcane Missiles, Tanner notices that his target, the shaman, has a shield in place. Speeding the pace of his casting, the shield soon cracks with the sound of breaking glass. Connie, watching the shaman, waiting on the shield to fall, slams Curses on the shaman, slowing its casting and causing a now confused shaman to hesitate in his spell casting. After Connie cast her spells, Claire follows with Primal Missiles cast at the hobgoblin. The hobgoblin, beginning to go weak at the knees, takes a step back to balance itself, falling backwards. The goblin warriors, watching the shaman fall backwards, charge toward the five spell casters. Tanner counters with Arcane Explosion cast amid, the clustered fighters, scattering them and stunning two. Tanner, then leaves the shaman to his partners, focuses on the goblin warriors as they stand up again. Arcane Missiles smashing into one of the already off balance warriors, causes it to stumble backwards as each missile hits, dying after two casts. The goblin warriors attempt to reform their massed charge, timing his attacks Tanner shifts targets and casts an Arcane Missile spell at the shaman, now back on his feet. The missiles all critically hit the hobgoblin in the head, dazed the shaman staggers, lowering his hands the light of spells fading from his grasp.

  With the shaman no longer able to cast spells. The rest of the casters are unopposed. Connie, Claire, Milly, and Dylan redouble their efforts at the hobgoblin. Soon the creature falls to the ground, no longer able to move.

  After letting the goblin warriors reform, Tanner again casts Arcane Explosion on the reassembled four warriors, scattering them across the battlefield. Three goblins regain their feet, staggering at Tanner, targeting the closer goblin. Tanner kills the half dead fighter. After shifting to find the next warrior, Tanner sees Connie and Claire occupied with two, while Milly and Dylan take the rest. Targeting Connie’s opponent, followed by Claire’s. Tanner casts Arcane Missiles on each target, killing them. Dylan and Milly’s goblins fall within seconds of the other two. The five casters turn toward their partners to assist them.

  While the Shaman fight was going on. Mick and his crew did not have their fight go entirely as planned. Mick continues smacking goblins with his shield, getting in an occasional sword strike, keeping the ten remaining goblins focused on him. With Roars and screams, adding a vocal taunt to his foes. To his surprise, he can keep the goblin's attention. Karnna flowing to the edges of the fight to capitalize on the helpless goblins Jackson's spells have created and uses her cleave to good effect. Overwhelmed by all the opponents, Jackson is just a split second too late to prevent a goblin spear thrust into Mick's back. Jackson's efforts redouble after watching his failure. Mick, off balance from the stabbing, gets hit a few more times. Lilli abandons the goblin flanks and joins her boyfriend’s side. Lilli circle around her larger teammate, defending until he can stand steady on his feet. Now angry, Mick screams in rage, growing bigger with each strike of his shield or sword. Jackson ignoring the wetness flowing over his lips and down the sides of his neck. Continues casting his most powerful spells in desperation. When Iris turns to check on the others, she spots Mick’s condition. She charges into the fray, and times her Healing Touch, to land on his sword arm while he lands a shield bash with the other. As Mick's hit points rise, Iris puts her back against Mick’s and casts Grasping Vine spells on the surrounding goblins. Claire casts her Primal Missiles spells against the goblins in front of Mick to give him some relief, freeing Lilli to take Jackson’s stunned targets. Tanner casts Arcane Missiles on every downed goblin around Lilly, to finish them in rapid order.

  The goblin sub-boss, watching his forces destroyed before his eyes, sends his mounted warriors into battle earlier than planned. With a shout of “Incoming” Tanner casts Arcane Explosion on the warg riders, drawing their attention away from his friends. One rider becomes separated from their mount, while the other maintains control. The mounted warrior flails on its wounded warg, wanting to charge Tanner. Claire, with a glance, analyzes the situation and cast her Primal Missile spell on the warg. The injured warg, already half crazed by fear and now hurt and confused, turns on her rider. Reaching back with her jaws, snatches the goblin warrior off of her back, savaging the unfortunate goblin. Claire returns to assisting Mick, while Tanner casts Arcane Armor. Tanner leaves the occupied warg alone, then advances on the other mount, casting Arcane Missiles with every step. The warg attempts to bite Tanner. Tanner casts his Arcane Missiles, targeting the injured warg’s head, finishing it. The last goblin warrior slams into Tanner, knocking him off his feet, disarming him. With a twisting roll and a knee to the gut, Tanner separates from the goblin, rising to his feet. The goblin also climbs to its feet, As Tanner, and his goblin opponent square off, each reaching for their knives.

  Mick and his crew finish the last of the small goblin horde. Connie turns to Mick, casting Ranged Healing, restoring him to full hit points, then looks to see Iris, casting healing spells, also restoring hit points. When she looks over at Jackson, Connie is shocked to see the young man sway on his feet, pale faced, with blood pouring out of his eyes, ears, and nose. Jax drops to his knees, the exhausted man says, in a soft voice, “Sorry I wasn’t fast enough.” and tumbles face first on the ground. Connie casts Ranged Heal, then rushes to Jackson's side. Concerned, she casts Healing Touch. “His hit points are full but he is not waking up, I don’t know what's wrong.”

  “Defensive formation around Jackson,” Mick says, moving between Jackson and the sub-boss. Milly and Claire line up alongside of him.

  Connie joins the three, asking, “Why isn’t he attacking yet?”

  Claire replies, “I am not sure, it maybe that Tanner needs to finish. Before he attacks.”

  With his martial arts, teacher’s cautions in the forefront of his mind, when fighting with knives. ‘Everyone gets cut.’ Tanner takes a cautious approach to this fight. With another sidestep, Tanner gains an idea of the goblin's knife skills. The goblin, growing frustrated with Tanner’s defensive tactics, gets angry and thrusts too far. With his quick reflexes, Tanner grabs the goblin's wrist, spinning in place and throwing the goblin over his shoulder. Still holding his opponent's wrist, Tanner flows with the move, stepping forward on to the goblin's arm and snapping its elbow joint. Tanner keeps going and drops onto the goblin's chest, releasing its wrist and with a swift movement stabs both knives into its eyes. With a forward roll off of his dead opponent.

  Tanner dashes to his friends. “Jackson?”

  “Healed but unconscious,” Connie says.

  “Damn, this guy is smart. He has analyzed all of us. With Jackson down, we need to fight smart and with caution, take it slow.”

  “Why hasn’t he attacked yet?” Mick asks.

  “He is waiting until we get into range, right now we are just outside of the wargs effective charge range.” Milly says to everybody.

  Mick looks at his sister in shock, asking, “How did you come up with that?”

  “I borrowed one of Tanner's books.”

  With a sigh, Tanner says to the others, “Guys, focus on killing goblins.”

  “Or the goblins kill you.” the others recite back to him.

  “Mick, get the wargs' attention, and stay in front no matter what. Lilli, Karnna, attack the warg’s neck and face, keep that hobgoblin’s axe busy, just enough to keep its attention. We do not want it dismounting until the warg is dead. Connie, your first job, curse them both and keep the curses up. Iris straight healing this fight. Connie, concentrate on curses and heals, damage spells as you can. Claire, you stay at range and target the warg, damage, damage, damage. Karnna, you are Micks, backup if needed. Everyone else damage the warg until it is dead. Then the rider. I will damage the warg but be close enough if you need me to step into melee. Need a ready response from you all. Then we walk forward until he begins his charge.”

  The warg crouches to leap at the young delvers Mick cast fear and charges the warg with a shouted challenge. His shield slams into the warg’s snout with such force that it diverts the creature’s charge, causing its rider to falter. The others follow Mick, then separate into their battle roles. Confused by his foes splitting apart, the hobgoblin sub-boss hesitates to direct his mount to a new target. Connie's Curse spell lands on the hobgoblin, further confusing its reactions to Lilli and Karnna’s attacks. When her Curse settles on to the warg, blood flows from its nostrils. Focus casting, Claire targets her Primal Missiles at the gigantic demon wolf’s neck. Arcane Missiles from Tanner slam into the warg’s snout just behind Mick’s shield strikes. Connie, with no healing duties and Curse spells active, follows Claire's lead, and casts her damage spells at the warg’s neck. The warg sits on its hindquarters, with labored breath, the hits to the head and neck taking a toll on the great canine. Dylan’s Ice spells and Milly’s Storm spells build ice over the creature’s snout and eyes. Iris’s heals flow over everyone, keeping them on their feet. Claire’s Primal spells growing tumors blocking its airway, Connie's Curse brain bleeding. The shocks from Mick and Tanner's head shots slamming the creature's brain with concussive force. The confused, weakened animal slumps and closes its eyes.

  The hobgoblin slides off of his dying mount. With a snarl of rage focused on Lilli, he leaps at her. His two-handed axe pulled back to cleave her in two. With a spin, Lilli twists out of the path of the great axe, sweeping her blade in to tangle and hold the hobgoblin’s weapon pinned to the ground. Mick, taking advantage of his partner’s move, slams into the off balanced hobgoblin, knocking it down, axe falling to the side. Lilli swoops in to snag the axe and throw it far beyond the area of the fight. With unexpected nimbleness, the hobgoblin rolls to his feet and slams an armored fist into Lilli’s head. Hit so hard, her feet leave the earth. Lilli flops to the ground in a boneless heap. With a leap and step, Mick’s shield crashes into the hobgoblin, his body weight gives the shield push the impetuous to move the monster away from his friend. Iris moves to Lilli, healing her.

  All the rest of the casters cast their most damaging spells at the sub-boss. While Karnna slams her axe into the creature’s upper thigh. Mick cast a taunt at the monster along with a lunge attack. His sword pierces through the monster's stomach and exits out of its back. A black beam with magenta colored sparks and striations, so bright they leave after images, comes from behind everyone, hitting the sub-boss in the head. The decapitated corpse falls on the ground, to the stunned amazement of the others.

  A pale faced Jackson stumbles up his friends and asks, “What did I miss?” After Iris pulls Lilli to her feet, Lilli wobbles to Mick on unsteady legs. Mick places his arms around her.

  Connie, unable to tell if they are hugging or holding each other upright, says, “How about you two go sit down.”

  Collapsing where they stand, the couple lean into each other, holding a whispered conversation. Karnna sinks to an exhausted slump beside them.

  “Jackson have a seat with them.” Tanner points to the exhausted trio. “Connie do you mind watching over them while the rest of us make sure the village is clear?”

  “I can do that.”

  “Don’t forget to meditate and recover you four,” Tanner says to them.

  “Tanner.” Iris and Dylan call out.

  Tanner looks over and notices they are next to the warg, walking over he sees the warg still struggling to move away from them.

  “This seems different, Dungeon monsters are aggressive til the end,” Dylan says.

  “They are,” Iris replies. “It is headed to the kennel.”

  With a look at the kennel, Tanner says, “Check out the kennel.”

  Claire jogs to the fence, and jumps into the enclosed warg run area. As she enters the warg house, the other hears her squeal. A worried Tanner rushes to her, only to stop as Claire comes out of the warg house holding a small puppy. The wounded warg redoubles her efforts to get to the kennel. Claire jumps over the kennel fence and runs to the warg mother, holding the pup out to her. As the warg nuzzles the pup, it wags its tail before dying.

  New quest: KILL or KEEP, Accept YES or NO

  Tanner accepts the quest, then says to the others, “Finish checking the village two person teams, Then regroup at our recovery spot guys, we have a decision to make.”

  The decuplet joins back up at the spot where Connie, Jax, and the meditating trio sit, joined by Bree and Rhys.

  “Well done,” Rhys says. “No need to be careful around me, I am settled. I do not want to talk about it yet, but I will get there.”

  Bree says, “Let’s look over the new quest. You have two options, first Kill the pup, check on what you get when you focus on KILL.”

  Jackson, the first to speak after looking over the kill option, says, “Kill it. One level for all of us with such an easy kill.” Dylan and Mick nod their heads in agreement.

  Mick says, “Seems like a straightforward choice.”

  The girls all stay silent but look very unhappy. Tanner and Claire gaze into each other's eyes in silent communication, finished the couple turn and ask. “Why? Why such a large reward for such an easy kill.”

  Bree and Rhys smile, Bree steps forward, speaking, “Your group reactions are perfect for lesson time. The men’s decision, reflect the decision of many parties before you. An easy level up. Not a wrong decision, mind you, it will make you all stronger.” To get Rhys involved more, Bree places her hand on Rhys’s shoulder.

  Rhys, taking the hint, asks the girls, “You don’t want to kill the pup? Why?”

  Milly says, “Its cute.”

  Connie laughs and says, “I was going with cuddly.” The other girls all nod in agreement.

  With a grin, Rhys tells the two, “Emotional decisions are valid reasons for some things, but not all things. This is one of those ones you need as much information as you can get.” Rhys turns to Claire and Tanner, “Now, you two, tell me your thought process please.”

  Tanner nods at Claire, to take the lead to speaking for them. Claire takes a moment to gather her thoughts, then says, “The risk verses, the reward, are way off. One whole level is just too much. So what are the advantages of keeping the puppy?”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Bree says to the group, “Look at the keep option.”

  ”Milly asks, “What is a bond?”

  “This is not something covered in the first year, next year you will have a short introductory class on bonds. You can take more in depth classes if you chose to go that route in your builds. A bond is a companion, that grows with you, it fights by your side.”

  Tanner asks, “Does the bond take a party spot?”

  Bree, shaking her, says, “No, the bond is listed in the party as a companion, but does not take a party spot. Think of it as a spell or power that you use.”

  Mick asks, “What are the advantages of a bond?”

  ”You always have someone to watch your back. They also grow in power alongside their companion. The disadvantage is you have to raise them. Ensure that you feed, water, and keep your bond happy and train with them. Or the bond will fail. Much like the practice and learning you exert to develop yourself. They also take a handful of Essence from your total, so a slight slow down on leveling.”

  With a thoughtful expression, Claire suggests, “This could be advantageous for everyone of us to have a bond. It's not for me at this time, I'll pass.”

  Tanner, also looking thoughtful, says, “That let’s me out for now, I have too many things going on to devote the time needed. But we do need a method to slow down and catch everything up. This might be the answer.”

  Mick asks, “How do they progress? You said they will develop along side of us?”

  “That is correct, they do. They often take the traits and powers of their bondmates.”

  “So it could fight along side of me as a front line?”

  “If they are suited for it, yes.”

  “Well I pass too, wargs tend to be agile, not strong, I would prefer a sturdy bond.”

  Bree smiles and nods in approval to Mick, “Well thought out, Mick.”

  Jackson sighs in disappointment, saying, “It would be so cool to have a psi bond but, I don’t see a warg filling that role.”

  “Hey Jackson have you used your talent on the warg?” Claire asks.

  With a dumbfounded look, Jackson says, “No, I didn’t think to.” The rest all laugh at the look on Jackson's face.

  Connie chuckling says, “This may be a good time, to try before we make any permanent decisions.”

  Jackson's eyes give a slight white glow as he looks over the warg and the party. “The puppy is a good fit with us, hold on something odd is happening. I, there are lines connected to the puppy and everyone else. This is really interesting. I never knew I could do this. I can see the best pairing, it is not well suited for most of us. Milly it would make a brilliant partner for you. It will be a better fit with Connie or Iris, I can see it becoming a defender for either of you.”

  Iris shakes her head, “I’m a cat person, not into dogs so much.”

  Connie says, “I’ll only accept this if you all agree.”

  Milly smiles and says, “I want something that pairs well with storms.”

  Jax tells her, “He would grow in to your power set.”

  “Still not willing to accept the little guy, I’ve thought of something I really want.”

  Tanner, after a look at his party asks, “So we keep?” Tanner, with agreement from all members, chooses KEEP. Claire reluctantly gives the puppy to Connie.

  With a smile, Connie accepts the bundle of energy. “Now what do I do?”

  “Concentrate on the puppy and ask it to bond.” Bree explains.

  Nodding, Connie looks at the puppy, thinking, ‘Do you want to bond with me?’

  The puppy stills and looks at Connie in startlement.

  With a cock of his head, the puppy gives a sense of awe and curiosity. He seems to ask, ‘Is that you?’

  ‘Yes my name is Connie.’ she thinks at the puppy. Licking her face and snuggling into her shoulder and neck. The puppy gives off a sensation of commitment and a fierce protectiveness.

  The party watches as the puppy accepts Connie as his bond. After a quick snuggle, Connie sets the little guy on his feet. The pup wags his tail, and the color of his fur changes, shifting from black to Connie's own luxurious red with sun kissed highlights. The puppy grows from eight weeks old to approximately twelve weeks old. “He grew and changed color.” A surprised Connie exclaims.

  Bree says, “He will grow fast right now until he catches up with you, then grow at the same pace as you, until he is an adult. Have you named him yet, this is important for his growth.”

  “Let me ask what his name is. He seems really smart, he may already have a name.” Turning to the puppy and picking him up, Connie looks into his eyes and asks, ‘Do you have a Name?’

  The puppy seems to ponder the question, then Connie gets an ‘impression of leaves blowing across the ground and the puppy jumping on them with ferocious intent like he is hunting.’

  Connie, speaking out loud, asks the puppy, “Your Name is LEAF?”

  With a growl, the puppy looks at her in disappointment. With another try, Connie asks, “LEAF JUMPER?” Another growl comes from the puppy, this time in anger. “How about Leaf Hunter?” The puppy gives a happy sounding bark and tail wag. Connie feels compelled to touch Leaf Hunter's head. The puppy pushes into her hand simultaneously. Warmth passes back and forth between the two at their connection, Connie takes her hand away and sees LEAF HUNTER's eye color now matches hers. Where her hand rested is a prefect white-colored circle on his forehead with a black spot in the center. Gold and dark crimson stripes spiral out from the black dot, vanishing into the outer white ring. “I just got a notice our bond is level 3 now.”

  On the way back to finish the fortress, Tanner reflects on the progress his party has made. His placement in the rear allows him to watch his teammates. Connie carries her pup in her arms, giving it the occasional snuggle. Claire jogs alongside, smiling at Connie's antics, scratching the puppy’s head occasionally. Milly and Jackson keep pace on either side, watching for enemies. In the lead, Mick, Karnna, and Lilly keep watch ahead and sets the pace. Iris and Dylan a few steps behind the Titans, jog with a quiet efficiency, also keeping watch to the sides. Proud of his party and their progress so far, Tanner wishes he had studied his memory crystals about Origin Essences more, but is confidant in his friends and their future. With a motion for Jackson to fall back, Tanner questions Jackson more on his new spell. “You said it is called Psionic Void?” Tanner asks.

  Jackson says, “Yes why?”

  “Void is one affinity under Arcane. There is something about it that calls to me. Like I can feel the Essence it uses. Some of Connie’s curses feel that way too.”

  “Sounds like you should send time around other caster classes to see what else you can pick up. Have you tried casting any curses?”

  “No time, experimenting in the middle of a fight seems like a horrible idea.”

  “Good point, when we camp I can cast it and you may get a better feel for it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Jackson moves back to his spot in the formation. A short time later, Mick slows the pace as the stone walls get close. The decuplet gather just outside the clearing still concealed by the forest, watching the walls. After a brief observation, the party concludes no changes to the outside.

  “We need a look inside the fort, let’s go up to the observation point.” Tanner says. The party circles around the fort and continues into the hills. They find everything has changed on the inside. Two squads of five goblins each guard the two sally ports. Four squads of five goblins, each guard at the main gate. The hobgoblin sub-boss is in the center of the compound, in front of the keep. Alongside what looks like a hobgoblin shaman, ten other goblins heavily armed and armored, along with another squad of five goblins, all better equipped than the rest with a hobgoblin leader. Bree, standing beside Tanner, looks over the fortification, tension clear in her stance and face.

  Milly queries, "Why are there suddenly three hobgoblins?"

  Jackson attempts a joke and says, “Don’t forget the thirty more goblins, and the elite goblin squad.”

  Bree says to the party, “Alright, it appears that the ten of you have been doing a little too good. The dungeon has adapted up to meet your challenge.”

  Claire asks, “Is this because we are doing well or because the two of you are with us?”

  Rhys quickly assesses the problem and remarks, “Unlikely, it would have responded more promptly if it were reacting to us. This dungeon is used by the Imperial scouts for training. They go in five at a time, a Master Sargent, and five trainees, the trainees wait in the safe room while the Master Sargent scouts the terrain then the Trainees, scout the area. If they get everything right they can clear the dungeon. If not they leave. There have been no reports of this dungeon's behavior acting this way. The Master Sargent is usually around in the upper Tier Two in levels.”

  “So we are doing well, and this is our reward?” Tanner says with a laugh.

  Bree, smiling at Tanner, says, “If you think about it, this may very well have been inevitable. You started at double zero. Now you are at parity and still doing well, the fights are hard, but are any of you really struggling to finish?”

  Connie asks, “Could any of this happened because of our Affinities?”

  Rhys answers the question, “That is also a possibility.”

  Tanner brings the conversation back on point by telling the others, “Nothing to do but push through.”

  Claire looks at Tanner and asks, “You say that a lot. Where did you pick it up?”

  With a sad smile, Tanner says, “One of the few things I remember about my Dad. He used to say it, Grandmother told me when she took me in it was almost the only thing I would say. It seems appropriate.”

  “Tanner what do you think of this set up? I think the goblins stationed at the gate are quick reaction forces.”

  “I think you’re right, Milly. If we attack through any gate they are going to flank us.”

  “So we need to stop them from coming out?”

  “That seems the best course.”

  “Then I think we should destroy the walls around the sally gates that way the they can’t flank us when we assault the main gate.”

  “Our we going through the main gate?”

  “We have to, we can’t collapse enough wall to close it. If we collapse the walls around the sally gates then we won’t get flanked during the main attack.” Milly states.

  Tanner, nodding his head says, “We will have to block the gates one at a time. We are not strong enough to collapse the walls if we split up. We can hit a sally gate, collapse the surrounding wall, run off. Kill anything chasing us. Come back up here and watch the fort, wait for them to settle down and we destroy the other sally gate. Rest and recover then the main assault.”

  Connie hands the puppy to Bree. “Sorry cutie you are too small for this fight. You have to stay here.”

  The puppy growls at her. “I know your name is Leaf Hunter, I only called you Cutie because I love you.” The puppy gives a joyful bark and licks Connie’s fingers.

  The decuplet line up for the first attack. Tanner says, “Listen up, guys. If the wall comes down fast, I think we should run around and hit the other side, right away. Then lead any chasers around and ambush them.”

  Milly's eyes lit up with excitement, “Then we wait up on our lookout spot and watch them. When they settle back down, we wait an hour. Bam, Boom. We rush in and take the fort.”

  Jackson runs up from his solo mission, “The main gate should be too heavy for them to open now.”

  “Nice job, Lilli, Karnna and Mick over watch. Everyone else target the wall around the gate, not the gate itself, follow my lead.” Tanner smashes Arcane Missiles into the wall at the right upper corner of the gate. The others follow his missile trail. Claire’s Primal Missiles seem to warp the stones when hit. Milly’s lightning rapidly heats the stones and Connie’s Celestial essence strikes the weakened wall, moving the stones out of place. Dylan cast ice on the wall rapidly cooling it. Jackson directs the stones to land in front of the gate as they fall. The wall sags as Tanner moves over the gate. Tanner says, “Milly one good bolt to the center of the lintel should do it.”

  The party observes Milly’s work. As the wall crumbles over the gate, Mick shouts, “Incoming goblins. Time to go.” The decuplet turn and retreat into the woods, stopping at the first ambush point. Each party member takes turns targeting individual goblins as they break into the small clearing. “Next ambush point,” Tanner says. The party moves deeper into the forest, leading any straggling goblins further away from their home.

  When the party eliminates the final goblin. Milly asks, “Hit the other sally port?” After receiving a unanimous, “Yes.” from the rest, she grins and leads the way to the other sally gate. When they stop just inside the tree line, the party finds a five goblin squad of stationed outside of the gate. Milly, after a look at the problem, turns to Tanner and says, “Jax stuns the goblins Mick, Karnna and Lilli kills them while they are out, then watch over us casters. The rest of us hit the wall?”

  Tanner, with a thoughtful look on his face, counters by saying, “Jax weighs down the gate after stunning the goblins. We all kill the goblins while he does that. Then we destroy the wall.”

  After the destruction of the wall, more goblins are now attacking from the main gate. Once again leading several goblins through the woods to their death. The decuplet regroup at their observation point. Mick looks over the fortress, “Both sally ports are unusable. It looks like we killed around twenty goblins. They are keeping the four squads outside the main gate, but I count nine goblins inside the gate and they moved the elite squad, and its leader, by the gate. The Shaman and sub-boss are still in the middle. If things don’t change, it looks like we may draw one squad at a time, away from the main gate.”

  Tanner, standing alongside Mick, claps him on the shoulder, “We’ll see how things look after an hour. Go meditate and recover.”

  “So we now are back to two squads in front of the gate, but we have all the fighters at the gate inside the fort.” Milly says.

  “Your brother's idea to taunt the outside squads off one at a time should work.” Tanner observes.

  After the fighters kill the goblins stationed outside the gate, the decuplet line up in front of the fortress main gate. Mick centered, Lilli once more on the right, with Karnna on the left, and Tanner standing frontline on Karnna’s left. Connie stands behind Mick, a few paces back. Claire on the left, behind Tanner. With Jackson on the right behind Lilli. Iris stands center behind Connie, flanked by Milly and Dylan. Tanner says, “Mick, you taunt them. The casters attack as they come through the gate. Then the four of us, keep them bottled up in the gap. While everyone damages around us. Need a ready response everyone.”

  After everyone announces ready, Mick charges into the gate, shield first. Lilli, Karnna, and Tanner close behind. With a thunderous boom, the gate vibrates on its hinges, using the noise to carry his taunt spell. Mick leaps back into place to await the goblins' charge. The elite goblin squad flings the gates open, allowing the goblin rabble to spill out in mass. Tanner casts Arcane Explosion amid the non-fighting class goblins, the others casting damage spells on the opening as goblins fill the space. The low level non-fighters fall dead, the first of the goblin squads pour out of the now open gate. Tanner calls out orders, “Shift targets. Goblin squads. Front line melee, back line support.”

  With the order everyone was expecting, Mick charges the middle of the wall’s gap, anchoring the attack. Karnna and Tanner rush to Mick’s left, while Lilli moves to his right. He smashes his shield right and left with unstoppable force, Mick knocks goblin warriors into Lilli and Karnna’s path. Tanner casts Arcane Missiles into the left goblins attempting flank Karnna. Lilli and Karnna become whirlwinds of destruction. Lilli’s sword, outlined in the reflected Arcane energy looks like lightning, cleaving through goblin limbs and necks without pause. Karnna’s twirling Great axe slicing and smashing across the goblin bodies in a gruesome pattern of green blooded art. The last common goblin warrior collapses to the ground, dead.

  The decuplet takes a pause, gasping for breath. As they look over the changed battlefield, the group of young delvers reassess the area. The elite goblin warriors have fallen back to the sub-boss and shaman’s position. Looking over the rearranged force situated against them. Milly turns to Tanner and says, “Well boss?”

  Eyes narrowed in thought, Tanner says, “Claire, Connie, Iris and Milly, take down the shaman. Once he is down, take the elites. Mick, Lilli, Karnna, and I will keep the elites occupied. Iris control the elites. Jax assist with the shaman and over watch. Dylan collapse the buildings make sure nothing inside gets out, assist anyone in trouble. One more thing, if the sub-boss enters the fight Mick you and Jax have to keep it busy until help comes for you. Karnna, Lilli, and I will continue with the elites. If the boss is fighting, once the shaman is dead, Milly will help Mick. Connie, and Claire help with the elites. The sooner the elites are dead, the sooner we can bring overwhelming force against the sub-boss.”

  Milly says, “Let’s approach slowly. We can recover a little and make sure to keep an eye on the sides for attacks.”

  The party moves toward the sub-boss. Dylan uses his Earth Wall spell to destroy the buildings by raising the walls in the middle of the buildings. The others each making their own mental preparations.

  “Alright, let’s take them from here. Ranged move off to the right and get the shaman within casting distance, but close enough to support us, too. Connie, as soon as the shaman is down, heals on Mick, then whomever else needs it. Mick, you taunt the hobgoblin squad leader. Everyone, our targets are from left to right: One, two, three, four, and five. I need a ready once everyone is in position.” Tanner says.

  Claire, Connie, Iris and Milly move right and a few steps closer to the shaman’s position. Receiving ready responses from everyone, Tanner, casts Arcane Missiles at the hobgoblin squad leader. The missiles slam into the target's chest. The squad leader gives a pained grunt and orders the squad forward to attack. Tanner shifts to target One only to see that Lilli has locked the elite goblin warrior in place with some kind of sword effect, with Phantom Swords arcing over the creature's armor. Taking advantage of the non moving target, Tanner double casts Arcane Missiles from each hand striking the monster’s head. Mick steps forward into a braced stance and screams at the hobgoblin leader, stopping its charge, forcing it to realign the direction of its attack. Lilli moves on to target Two, as target One falls from Tanner's spells. Karnna leans in to Goblin Three, moving her heavy axe in a stunning display of prowess. Mick takes the hobgoblin’s charge low with a duck under the monster’s sword slash. He catches the hobgoblin as it is pushed off balance by pressing out and up with his shield. Toppling the creature over his shoulder, Mick spins and stabs through the hobgoblin’s neck, pinning it. With his sword thrust between the gap of the armor’s chest plate and helm, Mick slams his shield on the pommel of his sword, the point digs deep into the ground.

  The hobgoblin shaman’s contempt for his foes is revealed by the smile on his face, as Claire and Connie’s attacks are repelled by his shield. Jax casts Psionic Void, the spell's inky black beam with magenta colored striations crackling along its length, forms in front of his out stretched hands. As the spell's effect races along its path and contacts the shaman's shielding spell, vivid pink fingers of lightning tap over the shield bubble. A now terrified shaman looks at Jackson in horror as his shield spell collapses. Milly’s spear arcs lightening across the distance into the shaman locking him in place. Connie, with a triumphant grin, casts her Curse spell. While Claire's double cast of Primal Missiles smash the hobgoblin's chest, knocking it back a few steps. Iris waves her hand, and a swarm of viscous wasps cover the shaman. Connie raises her hands in the air and shouts, “Celestial Judgment.” Jax telekinetically snags the off balance creature's feet, slamming its back to the ground. The last thing the hobgoblin sees is a golden spear of light with a dark red blade descending from the sky. The ranged casters watch the Spear of Judgment pierce the prone shaman's face and reduce into dark red of Infernal and golden colored divine essences, that rake through the shaman, ravaging his body unto death. Connie spins to the melee fighters ready to cast healing spells on Mick, Lilli, Karnna, and Tanner, only to find Iris has already cast Healing Wave and everyone is healthy with only minor injuries. Claire spots the elite squad leader pinned to the ground through the neck by Mick’s sword, and casts Primal Missiles to finish the hobgoblin. Karnna, Lilli, and Tanner each engaged with their own foes and winning. Tanner, with his left-hand sword, traps his opponent’s shield and thrusts his right-hand sword into the goblin’s sternum, continues the motion upward into the goblin's chin, slicing out of the goblin's face. The sword swings back in a loop, then up between the goblin’s legs. The now dead goblin blinks once, twice, then falls to the ground in a clatter of shattered chain mail and weapons. Karnna flips the butt of her Great axe up, shattering her opponent's chin and jaws, sending bone and teeth flying, twisting its head around, breaking its neck. Four spells converge on Lilli’s foe, two Arcane Missiles, two Primal Missiles, three Celestial Bolts and one massive lightning strike. The goblin warrior, now missing its torso, falls to the ground in a tangle of limbs and bloody spray.

  Mick, with a prompt turn, faces the sub-boss, roaring his taunt at the large creature. The hobgoblin roars back, attempting to leap at Mick, only to stumble as one of his legs drags the ground. With a puzzled look at the offending limb, the hobgoblin tries to lift the leg off the ground, distracted from the fight. The hobgoblin’s boot, now twice the monster's body weight doesn't even wiggle. After his weight spell on the hobgoblin’s boot, Jax now casts Trip on the sub-boss. Mick sweeps into the monster with his shield, knocking the sub-boss onto its back. The hobgoblin hits the ground with a loud crack heard by all. The stuck boot remains immobile. Breaking the creature's shin. Jax cast Weight on the monstrous two-handed sword. The others take advantage of the downed monster's position, bombarding the rapidly weakening sub-boss with spell after spell. Mick hammers the sub-boss’s head with his sword while his shield holds off the great sword. The sword becomes too heavy for the hobgoblin to hold, falling from its hands. The pinned monster is unable to achieve the leverage needed for an effective attack. With judicious shield use, Mick can block the weak flailing of the creature. The sub-boss’s Hit Points burn to ash like an oil-soaked rag with the combined attacks from the decuplet.

  “Fight critique, folks.” Rhys says, after looting. The big man’s shoulders bowed with grief still, his voice low and sad, eyes still on the verge of tears. The decuplet gathers around him and give hugs of support to acknowledge his attempt to stay in the moment and not give into the crushing guilt and anguish he feels. With a nod, Rhys thanks his students and says, “You all did well in the first encounter with the fortress towers. I don't think any other delvers of your Tier and levels could have done any better. You destroyed the towers in a timely manner and killed fifteen goblins on your retreat. Bree anything to add?”

  Bree, holding a squirming pup says, “On that part I agree. The village attack was well thought out and executed, the entire attack was well done. Jax you pushed too hard and took yourself out of the fight. You need to take more care.”

  Shamefaced, Jax says. “I was having trouble keeping up. When Mick got wounded I kinda panicked.”

  Rhys interrupts, “One thing I do need to point out Jax is a body mage, he has to push his brain to exhaustion to develop it. All of his Psionic powers are using his physical brain.”

  Jax nods his head and adds. “Like our muscles tear and break down while exercising, my brain is doing the same thing. This is why I am passing out so much. Other Body Mages push their affinities through what ever body part is key for their powers.”

  Rhys continues, “Jax has a very hard road to follow. The only way he gets stronger is to push his brain harder. Once he gets to the next Tier he will not have as many problems.”

  With a nod of agreement, Bree says, “That is a point and one none of us considered until now, but a boss fight is not the time.”

  “Jax is there a reason this was not brought up before?” Bree asks.

  “My father gave me several books on Psionics as soon as he found out my Affinity. I didn’t think we would advance as fast as we have so I am behind in my studies. I just read about it yesterday.”

  With a sad sigh, Rhys says. “Once again treating you all like normal delvers is not working. I do not like failure.”

  Claire hugs the bear of a man, and says, “Don’t you worry, uncle, this is not your failure. We have plans in place. Taking the placement tests is the last step for all of us to finish our first year. We will take the Delvers Guild tests, not for obtaining a license, but to further show our capabilities. You all know how Tanner feels about the delvers guild. This should allow us to start second year classes next semester. Also, as a party of ten, we will start slowing enough to catch our development up.”

  Tanner clears his throat to grab attention and declares, “Once school is over, we will pursue my inheritance. I am convinced it is more significant than any of us realize.”

  Mick says, “We have talked about Tanner’s experience. We all agree. After we leave the dungeon. We enlist Bran and any Paladins he trusts, Eunice first,. If any other Imps are in visiting the temple, we cleanse them next. Then the Emperor. Penny last we want the baby to survive and if we have as many strong Essence users as we can with us the better its chances.”

  “Now you see here. You are out of this. There is no longer any reason for the ten of you to be involved.”

  Claire softly says, “Mother, you have no idea of what you are dealing with. Like it or not, we are the experts here.”

  “That is preposterous. You are too young, I forbid it. There are plenty of more experienced and more qualified people out there.”

  Connie looks sadly at her friend and Impress, “You really don’t know what you are dealing with. How many of these more experienced and qualified people have you had dealings with over the last two years? How many of the ten’s of thousands of people recognized you were cursed? Let alone recognized you were carrying cursed items?”

  Bree opens her mouth to retort when Tanner asks, “In the two years you had the items in your possession, did you ever take them off? You bathed with them on, you even had sex with them on, didn’t you?” With her mouth still open, Bree freezes in revelation. Tanner cast his Arcane Armor and removes the bag holding the cursed objects from his storage, placing one of the cut weapons belts on a nearby rock. “I know you both have weapons of much higher quality than these rare items. Take your highest and try to cut them.”

  Bree removes a silver arrow from her storage ring, showing it to all she says, “This is an Epic grade arrow made from Epic grade silver mana ore.”

  Connie cautions her, “Wear gauntlets or gloves please.”

  Bree, with a nod of her head, puts on a pair of thick leather gloves. Then stabs the arrow into the belt. Not a mark shows on the belt. With a firm gasp of the arrow, she strikes the belt with all her considerable strength, blunting the arrow head and leaving no mark on the belt. “How?”

  “The objects were all made from cursed materials, then had curses laid into them during construction using the blood of unborn children, and after they were quenched in the blood of still living children. Connie answers.

  “How can you know any of this?”

  “I can see it.” She turns away from the belt, hiding her face in Tanner’s chest. “I don’t want to look any more.”

  Tanner folds her in his arms, rocking her. Claire says, “She explained it to me as a deadly toxin. They have absorbed your Essences for the last two years and have become stronger. If one of these belts were to be placed in a town’s well, the entire town would become infected within a few weeks. One touch will curse whom ever contacts it.”

  Tanner passes Connie to Claire and walks forward, “Connie needs to be there. This is why I need to be there,” Tanner manipulates Arcane energies to surround his knife and easily cut through the cursed item. “Connie can sense the cursed energies radiating from objects. Everyone of us has learned to sense them to a lesser degree. So yes, we are the experts.” Tanner extends his hand, casting an inky black sphere loaded with Magenta striations that crackle like strange-colored lightning. Tanner tosses the bag holding the rest of the cursed items into the strange spell, watching the items dissolve as the bright colored Essences touch the bag and the dark sucks the left over remains into itself.

  “Tanner you just destroyed evidence. What are you thinking?” Bree shouts. Connie pulls herself out of Claire’s arms, “You still don’t understand, We have to show them.”

  “I’ll do it, I take the hits for this party.” Mick walks to the cursed item and stands in front of it. Fear is on the face of a man that stares down small hordes of goblins without flinching. Mick asks, “Lilli will you do it?”

  “I have your back friend.” She sets her feet for action to the side of him, drawing her sword, fear for her boyfriend written on her face.

  Tanner takes a deep breath, “Rhys get ready, Mick a tap with just one finger.”

  With a nod of his head, Mick makes a fist and points his index finger. He jabs the cursed belt, withdrawing his hand as fast as he touched the belt. Lilli cleaves his arm off at the elbow. A frightened Mick calls out, “it got past my elbow.”

  Connie grasps his arm and casts Celestial Cleanse, pushing a viscous black tar like substance from the stump of his arm. The others watch in horrified fascination as Mick’s hand and forearm now on the ground, turns to black sludge, then reforms and grows legs and scuttles to the curse Essence expelled from Mick’s arm. The new creature extends a pseudopod to the substance and, with a loud slurp, sucks it up. Growing bigger.

  Tanner surrounds the odd creature with Arcane Essences, lifting it up for all to see.

  Jax casts Psionic Void on the belt, destroying it. Rhys heals Mick's arm, a sick look on his face, “It destroyed tissue all the way up into his biceps in less than a second. I can’t think of any toxin or poison that virulent.”

  Bree asks, “Is it safe to look at?” Tanner nods and says, “We've contained it, Connie, check around to ensure we haven't overlooked anything.”

  “Oh Goddess, Tanner the rock and the grass around it”

  “Jax can you cast in a sphere?” Tanner asks.

  “I’ll damn well try.” Jax answers, concentrating on his spell. A void sphere appears around the rock and its surrounding area. Small screams of anguish are heard from the blackened grass’s tiny little mouths as they perish in the void Essence Jackson created. Jackson moves the void ball around the area, following Connie's directions, killing off all the Curse Essence. Then collapses to his knees exhausted.

  Tanner, still holding the curse creature, asks, “Have you both gotten a good look at this thing?”

  A white faced Bree answers, “Yes, please destroy that thing.”

  Rhys nods his head and says, “Please for the love of the Goddess destroy it.”

  Tanner turns his Arcane sphere into a Void sphere. The creature screams, turning into black inky smoke. The void sucks everything in and disappears like it never was.

  Bree stuttering and pale faced. “That, that thing was inside us. Inside of me.”

  Tanner says, “Something very like it, yes.”

  “What did mine look like?”

  “Yours looked like a misshaped bladder with long black tendrils, the color sorta reminded me of necrotic tissue.” Tanner answer in a matter-of-fact tone. “The one inside of Rhys was like a cross between a centipede and a kraken. It had a flat black shell, and tentacles.”

  Bree, now green faced, turns and vomits, sobbing. Claire, Connie, and Milly rush to her side, glaring at Tanner. Jax says, “That was cruel, Tanner.”

  “Agreed,” Tanner acknowledges, walking away from the group with a tinge of sadness.

  Bree finished, climbs to her feet. “Don’t be mad at Tanner. He is correct, I did not understand, there can be no compromise, these things need to be exterminated, root and branch. Honestly I am not sure I completely understand, but I do know they are dangerous. I will follow your lead. One thing hold off on the guild test. I will arrange an alternative.”

  Milly holds up her hand, “Alright folks, we got off subject. We need to finish the fight critique, then move to the Boss.” The others all look at her in surprise. “What? I can focus.”