"I assume this won't be a battle to the death, considering he's your kin?" Cassi's stern voice echoed from behind as I maneuvered around their leader's son and greatest warrior across their wide open chambers.
This giant, Barry, was definitely formidable in his own right. My Flow Strikes and counter attacks had landed most every time they were thrown, yet he'd tanked through the pain regardless of the wounds sustained thus far. No doubt he was a warrior, and his semi-disciplined fighters stance implied he'd done his fair share of fighting.
"I certainly hope not. I'd hate for you to lose your best fighter in a duel between possible allies, hm?" The king teased faintly in the distance. I'd barely made out the last part over the crushing sound of a razor sharp cleaver slamming into stone floors, leaving webs of cracks stemming from a vertical imprint in its wake.
Strong.
Lighting Strike activated incredibly tempered, making sure not to kill Garrin's son openly like this. It was just to test his toughness, which was impressive in its own respect. Even when my slashes made clean contact, Barry ignored . My blade erupted with lighting mana piercing his leg, the energy dispersing into his body. The giant was stunned for just a second, however he quickly returned to furiously slashing and howling, his first attack nearly cutting my nose off it.
Tough.
Slowing my pace, I let my legs cross backwards stepping away while activating Identify. Barry momentum nearly knocked him over in pursuit of yours truly.
(Giant, Blessed of Jaia [level - 8])
Practiced too.
"Hey…Barry…" I called while dodging his slashes that rapidly grew in speed and intensity as our spar progressed. One stray swing of his cleaver looked to be too much for even his strength or balance to control as his body stumbled forward. I pressed forward to capitalize, only for him to swing a back hand wildly, hitting one blade from my hand and damn-near breaking my other wrist to keep my grip. The chain tethering my blades right kept my dropped blade close, my hand snagging the hilt soon as I lost it.
"I like you man, but-" the burly giants wild slashes for my head cut me off once again. His Flow was incredibly easy to read with these slow, powerful movements. One wild slice directed for my head loaded up on his shoulder, which made ducking under and landing two quick stabs through his stomach before shuffling away entirely too easy. To his credit though, his attacks chained together smoothly albeit slowly, a byproduct of having at least decent form.
"..you're too eager. I got the same problem." I stated in a deadpan, finally getting my point across. The Giant felt at his stomach, which bled no more than from a dull razor after a bad shave. Barry let out a frustrated growl charging forward another aggressive strike. Seeing his Flow compounding on itself, my body lurched his under his telegraphed overhead slash. Slipping under his towering legs, my eyes locked onto his femoral artery that begged to be severed. Unfortunately, I couldn't reciprocate his murderous intent due to Cassi well…being my boss now.
Continuing my momentum around his leg instead, I located somewhere non-fatal. Barry's muscles tensed in reaction to my blades swiping and leaving a gash across Barry's massive calf. He went for a quick open hand smack spinning to meet me, which did graze my foot as I stepped away. My leg swung unreasonably hard into the other, lifting and fully flipping me nearly twice through the air before slamming onto the cold stone floor. I'd barely slid away from his next downward strike that left another crack in the floor while clamoring to my feet, when Barry growled finally responding verbally.
"You talk too much." Barry said, bursting toward me recklessly yet agin.
"That's fair." I muttered while leaning my body back, feigning a retreat. His arms extended with his swing, as they did the last two times trying to reach my evading body. Jerking my head forward using my core, I smothered into his hips stabbing my blades into both his inside thighs while his cleaver attack whooshed over my head.
Barry bellowed a guttural roar, his eyes flaring with flickering flames as his muscles expanded rapidly, veins looking on the brink of bursting from his skin. However that screech abruptly halted altogether, lightning mana channeling through my blades. Barry stood stunned in place, shaking wildly as he struggled fighting against the lightning surging through his body.
Suddenly Barry's knee jerked up with a labored grunt, aiming his boot down at me attempting a desperate stomp. My back foot blasted off the floor, shooting my body back under his legs again. My hand latched on the chain between his legs connecting my twinblade, and yanked hard with my entire body's might causing a loud whip.
The giant's lifted leg jerked back before reaching the floor, sending Barry crashing to the ground face first. Removing my blades mid stride, I ran up Barry's burly back and wrapped my chains around his thick muscular neck. Once around, I switched blade grips in my hands, causing the chains to knot at the back of his neck. It was after plunging my twinblade into both of his shoulder blades, locking the chain tight around his throat, did the behemoth realized what was happening. His hands flew from all sides as he slapped and shook around trying to buck me off.
My hands and groin muscles screamed in pain clinging desperately to the monsters of a man's back by my blade hilts, making sure the pressure remained tight around his throat. Barry's thrashing and reaching for me at his back continued no avail.
He introduced the squish tactic and attempted to roll onto his back with me on it. Each time he'd try to, however, I'd send a surge of lightning through the twinblade's chain, locking his muscles up causing Barry to fall limply to his chest. His head bouncing violently off the floor made me wince, especially seeing even his skull made cracks in the Pylon rooms stone floor.
It was after one such bounce that Barry pushed himself hard off the floor, shooting us both up rapidly. His back muscles condensed inwardly feeling for his Flow, until suddenly expanding all at once. A moment later Barry's legs fully extended under him as he launched me fully into the air from his back, a burst of fire expelling from his entire body in a blast.
Pain trickled across my freshly singed face, however glee danced through my mind finally finding a good excuse to utilize my grappling hook, firing it at his neck and hooking it into my twinblade's chain still wrapped around Barry's neck. I pulled hard timing the Flow of the grapple's rope losing its give with a leap into the air. My body snapped back toward Barry like a rubber band through the air, landing a kick to the back of his charging skull. His head whipped forward on impact, allowing me to tighten the chains and reinsert the blade he'd shook free from his back.
The giants energy began fading now, the intensity of his thrashing lessening and m hands flailing lazier. Eventually they fell limp, and a beast of his level means experienced boosts. I wonder if it's more because he's a humanoid c-
My arm was suddenly no longer where I'd left it, instead being ripped behind my back. I'd just caught a glimpse of Cassi's familiar black hair when I felt myself being tossed through the air. I fell hard to the ground, my twinblade clattering at my feet short after. Peering back, Cassi's disapproving glare pierced into my eyes. I stared right back, equally upset at her totally cheating me out of earned experience points. And bragging rights.
"We will not kill Garrins son. Not unless he refuses to hold his word to our agreement for this fight, that is." Cassi ordered, turning toward Garrin as she spoke. The Giant looked more disgruntled at his son's failure than concerned for his well being, and took his time pondering his answer.
"I will…consider it. If you're willing to show your armies might in battle is a third this man's at our next wave defense, well, I'd be more than in your debt." The giant relented, his tone sounding surprisingly defeated.
"Good, then you'll find no reason why we cannot stay and scout the area surrounding this region. We will be moving on to many other Pylons, after all. It would be a shame if they were some you weren't exactly in 'good graces' with..." Cassi replied signaling for us to exit, Phoebe following behind silently. Realizing the whole reason I was fighting Barry had escaped me, I caught up with Cassi to apologize.
"Hey, sorry I sort of forgot where I was back there. The guy was resilient as hell I'll give him t-"
"WHAT did I say?! Did I tell you, 'Hey, Tom! Challenge their leader in front of his subjects', or did I explicitly tell you to do the fucking opposite?!" Cassi shot back angrily, before taking a deep breath.
"Sorry, sorry. I know it worked out, Tom. But we already had them where we wanted them. You don't need to defend every vocal act of aggression or challenge with physical violence, okay?" She continued, her tone completely switching from bordering furious to apologetically understanding. Frankly, I didn't even know how to respond.
"Uhh…yeah. You're right and…I'm sorry?" I fumbled, still trying to process the rollercoaster of emotions. Cassi smiled, slapping me on my shoulder a little too hard.
"Good, then let's let the soldiers know our situation. Hopefully, Korbin will have gotten his birds in the sky by today. Be ready for these giants' wave tomorrow, I expect you to be up and around bright and early." Cassi instructed, turning and exiting out of the castle. Phoebe looked at me with a concerned look.
"She's not always like that." I said, though Phoebe seemed skeptical. I'd argue harder except, I'd never really pissed Cassi off before. I'm not even sure if I have or not.
"You think you can start preparing for tomorrow by helping me be a good tamer?" Phoebe asked, after walking with me few steps toward our soldiers and snakes.
"Yeah, can't see any way I'm allowed to hunt alone today now, so. Sure." I said, feeling rather deflated. Worst part about getting in trouble these days, is at least an entire day of zero free experience farming time. In my opinion, it hurts the cause more than helps but, not my call I guess.
After Phoebe and I finished updating the soldiers, us and our serpents ventured for their sparring grounds to ensure no civilians got caught up if anything goes wrong. Thank fuck we did too, considering Becky saw no reason to follow any of Phoebes commands.
"Just allow me to pet you, I don't understand…the fuck you mean 'earn it', I'm getting you a contract, lady?" Phoebe exclaimed despairingly, the boa not even inclined to allow physical contact. She'd been chasing her around, saying all kinds of 'I'm not gonna bite' and 'hey girly' bullshit. She was acting like Becky's a puppy, when Becky would happily squeeze the life out of one instead.
"Phoebe, can I give a bit of advice on your approach?" Phoebe looked a bit frustrated at my offer, though that clearly was just boiling over from her lack of progress over the last 20 minutes.
"Sure. Why not? That's kind of your job here anyways." She excellently pointed out.
"Fair enough. You're doing this completely wrong." I said, bluntly. Her face dropped, indicating it had the opposite of a soft landing here.
"Excuse me? Alright mister nature guru, show me then. Not like we can talk mentally or anything." She said, passive aggressively.
"Okay, switch me." I said, pointing at the side of the arena away from the giant boa. She obliged, leaving me in front of Becky alone.
"Hey girly, tell you what, I am absolutely a man of chivalry. So I'm gonna say this once. Come here, and let me pat your head." I ordered, looking Becky straight in the eyes with my finger pointed down. Becky was already a bit intimidated by Steve, but she'd yet to show any signs of apprehension around me. In fitting fashion, she returned my gaze happily.
Her body swayed as she slithered slowly toward me, like a nervous kitten leaving a shoe cubby. The eyes on a snake never lied though, much like their mental speech. Becky was no different, her narrowed unblinking stare gave the 'surprise attack' away. Her body wrapped around my shoulder after lowering her head slightly, feigning following my demands.
The lifted part of her body grazed around my shoulder, the remaining under me attempting to coil tight around mine. Too bad for her, the Flow in a snake is about as easy to read as a ripple in still water. I leapt up, grabbing onto Becky's back before Flow Striking her neck 4 times in quick succession with my fists. My body ached from the rapid exertion of mana afterwards, however after leaping off from Becky, she quickly slithered away defensively.
"What the fuck, don't kill her?!" Phoebe yelled to me, her voice shaking nervously. She still didn't get it. Becky lowered her head at a distance, indicating to me a gesture of surrender.
"Come. Here. Becky." I commanded, this time the snake abiding almost immediately. Her head remained low the entire way. My hand dropped onto her scaly skull with a plop as I turned to Phoebe's open mouthed look of disbelief.
"How?! You just hit her?!" She asked in befuddlement.
"You're treating Becky like she needs coddling to earn your trust. She doesn't. She's a predator. You need her respect for her to trust you even a modicum. Otherwise you're useless, maybe even just a meal." I explained, having dealt with over 50 angry predatory water beasts now. Some were cunning, quick, brash, magically inclined, but ALL of them were honest in their nature. Utility almost always won them over.
"So, you're saying if I shot her in the face she'd be my friend? Just like that?" Phoebe asked in frustration.
"No, what? No you can't mortally wound them to be friends. Let me ask you something, if you wanted to hunt. All you did was hunt for power, and someone who acted weaker than you said you should follow them around now and listen to their orders. How do you react?"
"…probably pretty dismissively." She muttered, after thinking about it for a second.
"Okay, and what if they keep pressing this way, how would you react?" I continued, hoping she'd catch on.
"…aggressively."
"Ohh, how interesting. Wonder where we'd seen an example of that, huh?" I teased, seeing her struggle to admit defeat. She needed to know it quite frankly, it feels like any beast tamer who hoped to live does.
"Stop. Not funny. But okay, fine I get it. I'll try."
The next hour and a half was spent watching Phoebe and this snake duke it out, and it was honestly quite impressive to watch. They were polar opposites, Phoebe constantly retreating to pop flaming shots off with her bow. I truly hadn't expected Becky to fight back given she'd just submitted, though I suppose all respect for Phoebe has been long washed away before I got here.
Anytime Becky slipped into Phoebes own range, a quick wrap and squeeze usually lead to Phoebe tapping out. Oddly, Becky respected each tap, promptly releasing her after for another round…
Okay, me running out and threatening Becky each time probably played a small role but, I never acted on it. The interesting thing was, Becky was always willing to take the simplest route to attack. She hardly dodged if she saw an opening, allowing for many arrows to land throughout the course of their battle. I figured Phoebe had some sort of fire powered skills chambered, though she only used regular arrows the entire time. To her credit, I wouldn't want to mercilessly burn Steve to make him my friend either.
Finally, as the sun began setting on a beautifully humid afternoon, the snake seemed both tired and impressed by Phoebe's tenacity. After the final arrow landed through her tail, the snake leaned its head down in front of Phoebe, who already had another arrow knocked and aimed at Becky's head. Phoebe was cautious to approach, but eventually made her way over. Her hand placed atop Becky's skull, a brief but giddy celebration dance immediately following after.
"Very good, Phoebe. You're officially friends enough to fight together. So long as Becky's willing of course." I said, amending the implied obligation for Becky, who nodded in appreciation. Cool ass snake, hopefully Steve doesn't fumble her. Bet they'd have badass kids.
After a few thank you's from a reinvigorated Phoebe, Cassi showed me to my quarters for the night while Steve caught some shut eye coiled up outside my door. My mana was almost completely spent from the battle with Barry, and using Flow Strike rapidly on Becky didn't help in the slightest.
It did feel like it paid off in some way after checking my resource pools. I noticed I'd gained one more mana point maximum, raising it to 75. It wasn't by any means a huge jump, it did however imply using your mana somehow plays a role in expanding the total you could have on tap. Justification in my efforts put my mind at ease, as I entered meditation before falling fast asleep.
…
After getting some much needed rest, my feet dragged groggily under me sleepily rejoining our forces by the Pylon entrance. Both respective factions were coordinating their defensive approach when Cassi noticed my arrival. She gestured her hand, appearing to dismiss the giant in full metal armor before walking over to me.
"Good morning, princess! Glad you could join us today." Cassi snickered through a grin. I rubbed my eyes now fully accepting my fate of being awake and doing things this early in the morning.
"Had to get my beauty rest. I wanted to look my best for the free experience with heartbeats headed here soon." I snickered back, half-jokingly. It'd been a while since I'd taken part in a wave defense, and I was excited to see how strong they'd gotten over the past few weeks.
"Yikes, looks like you needed more. That's alright, they won't live to tell any of the others you were lacking anyways." She shot back smiling, feeling much like the Cassi I knew than yesterday. Barry approached, queuing Cassi to change her tune quickly.
"We're going to need you and Steve in the fray with Barry outside of the gate, our soldiers and I will back you in taking care of the weaker beasts that slip by. Steve and Becky will be your support but, they're to stay moving freely across the battlefield due to their size and lack of armor." Cassi explained, as Barry strolled beside me with a devious grin.
"Hey, Tom. Just so you know, that fight yesterday was horse-shit. My specialty has never been in one on one combat, but in a real battle. I'll be showing you who runs the hunt around here today." Barry gloated, the healing wounds and chain marks on his neck, stomach and legs still visible.
"Right. Just try to not to slow me down out there big boy. Better hope none of them have chains, huh?" I teased, waving my sheathed twinblade at him.
"We'll see who's laughing soon enough, Tom. Most kills wins." Barry answered without any semblance of playfulness now. Clearly, he can dish it far better than he can take it.
"Get me a mirror after so I can see too. Besides, it's just a Pylon wave. I'm not fully sure why we need the back up out there if we're getting competitive now?" I said, now turning to Cassi in search of an explanation.
"From what I've gathered, they deal with doubly powerful monsters than us here for some reason, and in greater quantities too." Cassi answered more seriously, nearly activating my salivary glands at the sound of a decent challenge. Barry was good fun for his incredible toughness and uncanny strength. There was no hatred or real threat involved though, save I refrained from fucking up. Not to mention the reward wasn't exactly geared towards the winner of our spar either.
These waves were my introduction to learning inner peace better in combat in this new world. It costed other peoples lives when I had let my ego take hold. Now, I get to try again in a far more comfortable state mentally, along with stronger allies from top to bottom I won't have to worry about so much. All I had to do was remain focused on why I'm fighting, not just what.
"Fine by me, just call out to me if you guys get overrun or we drift too far out. Not trying to let our people die during a measly wave." I replied, hoping Cassi could reel me in if I got carried away again. Knowing where my mistakes lay was of course growth. However, correction was bound to be its own uphill trek, especially since I'm not entirely sure why I got so lost in combat. Cassi's response recaptured my attention.
"By all my projected metrics, these giants should've been wiped clean from this place a week ago. IF what they've told me is completely true, and even then, it's fragmented. This shouldn't be as big an issue with us here, but things aren't adding up, and Garrin knows it too." She said, clearly perplexed by some detail or another.
"What's that got to do with us?" I asked, not seeing the correlation.
"He won't let his own perish first either, because he's worried they can't handle it. Barry and Phoebe have been carrying the team every time, the others serving essentially as meat shields. If we take on the load today, I get a feeling he'll have no choice but to fold. Best case, we find out why there's undead around too." She answered, a smile forming on her face as I pieced together what she was getting at.
A smile formed on mine as I did.
"…so, you're saying 'do my thing'?" I asked, eagerly. She nodded with a knowing smirk in confirmation as she spoke.
"Yep, just go kill as much shit as you can without dying."