Wish upon the Stars chapter 955

Reaching the tenth level wasn’t too tough. I wanted to go deeper, honestly, but Faustryche had been recently seen down here and we had a day or two before the next shift. In fact, we couldn’t have gone lower as a group anyway. The majority of our people didn’t have a Chronicle, even among the top percentage of our combatants, and hence they couldn’t stand the pressure too many levels down.

Even ten levels below the surface (and the staircase DID start at the surface, with the whole of Arcadia built in a sort of bowl set into the glacier which the stairway was at the bottom of), things were starting to get a little heavy, and I could see my friends starting to strain a bit.

Not Bethy, mind, who I was almost positive already had a Chronicle anyway, or Abel, but some of the lower end power additions like Benny and Jessie. But when we arrived, I was quickly shown that things weren’t going to be that easy. Much like the other Vessels,  Faustryche had supplied a large amount of what Callie called ‘Void spawn’.

These particular spawn weren’t mantis shaped like the ones in the forest. They looked…like devils, kind of. Short pudgy things with obsidian skin and little wings and tiny horns. Oddly enough though, most of them were D-rankers.

Ellie stepped forward, hefting her mace, but my mom held up a hand. “No,” she said simply. “This isn’t just bounty hunting. It’s training. Shane. You and your friends’ll take care of these.” I shrugged, stepping up to call for my staff. It landed in my hands with a reassuring thump, but before I could activate a form, my mom continued sharply. “With no abilities.”

I froze, turning to raise an eyebrow at her. The imp things were gathering at the edge of the pool of light from the staircase. The tenth level was a massive cavernous hall made of dark stone, filled with tall columns and cloaked in complete shadow. I only even knew they were Void spawn because of the eerie blue glow of the eyes. It was a very distinctive glow. “I assume you want all of us to do the same?” She nodded, and I sighed. “Any reason why?”

“You’re too clever,” she said bluntly. “I know you have tricks to handle any occasion, and that's good. Preparation is always a smart move. But at some point, you’ll fight something tricks don’t work on. You need enough strength of arms to hold your own when you’re on even ground.”

Despite her hard tone, I could see the worry on her face. She had clearly been more shaken by being stuck here while we dealt with the void than expected. I could understand that. I just sighed, then turned to call out for a familiar face. “Bella!” I shouted for my apprentice. “Front and center.”

My apprentice’s red hair had grown out since I’d seen her last. It was staggering to think she’d been essentially locked up in Bethy’s Domain since we arrived on this planet. I felt a little bad, because I was supposed to be teaching her, but it was just so damned dangerous.

“Aye aye, master!” She shouted energetically as she snapped off a crisp salute. “What do you need?”

I nodded to the imps. “I need a sparring partner. Assuming my wife doesn’t mind me checking on your progress?” I cocked my head at Callie, who rolled her eyes but still shook her head. Grinning, I turned back to my disciple. “Then head out. It’s time for me to see the results of your training. Go on, I’ll be right behind you.”

She looked a bit nervous, but she moved forward. Benny, Jessie, Daysia, Dayna, and all the others spread out with him. By seeming unspoken agreement, we sent the weaker combatants out first. Well, weaker in melee. Dayna was a Heaven Murder Elf, and was dangerous in any kind of battle, but she preferred a bow.

While my mom clearly wanted us to take care of this personally to see my progress, I had my own concerns. To her credit she didn’t complain about it, just raised an eyebrow and watched. After all, like I’d told Bella, I was right behind her.

It was…kind of amazing, really. To see her whirl her staff into action, striking out with different forms. Mephistopheles to destroy, Mornax to defend. Seeing the results of my training, of her obviously constant practice, brought a swell of pride to my chest. She spun and stomped and cleaved through the imps with brutal efficiency, bringing the goetia staff art to bear at what I was pretty sure was a high Expert level.

Of course, she needed some help. Once she killed a few, the imps swarmed, rushing her in a screeching wave of hate and stubby claws. My own staff spun out to meet them, flickering between her strikes and around her spinning form, slipping through minute gaps in her attacks as I threaded the needle with expert precision.

More than my enhanced stats, I was just much more experienced in the staff. Especially THIS staff. The art was my creation, and I could read it like a map. It almost felt like I was using Belial, honestly, like I was conducting a symphony of spilt blood and shattered skulls using my apprentice as my instrument.

Bella moved like a precision machine for about twenty minutes…but eventually she started to flag. I stepped past her, hooking my staff in front of her and pushing her back gently, with Callie stepping up to escort her away. “You did good, kid,” I called to her as she retreated. “Now watch close. This is what you’re aiming for.” And then I lost myself in the flow of battle.

I wasn’t a conductor anymore, I was a dancer, and my weapon was a part of my body. Imps shattered and broke against me like the tide crashing against the rocks. Some of them got through, scraping my neck or wrists or just raking my skin between gaps in my armor. But it didn’t matter. Even without Mornax active, my Impact was higher than a normal D-ranker. They didn’t have the power to deal real damage.

I heard myself laugh as if from far away, releasing all the pent up stress and aggression that I usually held in. No plans, no tricks, just violence. Pure, simple, uncomplicated force, brought to bear as I enacted my will on the world around me. The music was over. I wasn’t dancing anymore, I was exterminating. Smashing insects in droves as I cackled my glee into the overwhelming darkness.

Until, suddenly, I wasn’t. I froze, my breath was coming heavy, blood dripping through the crevices in my plate, and my muscles were burning. The heavier Impact, combined with the raw speed and ferocity of my movements had pushed my body to a level I hadn’t felt recently aside from that fight with Fade’s champion.

“You doin ok, love?” my wife asked in amusement from off to the side. I glanced down to find the ground torn up by my footwork, and the bodies of the imps all gone, cleansed by a rolling carpet of blue black flame.

“Thanks for the tidy,” I told her with a laugh as I leaned on my staff for support. “Got a little carried away there, I think. But it was nothing too serious. I was still processing everything, just got a little tunnel vision.” I knew Callie would wake me from that trance through the bond if needed, and it felt good to cut loose.

Bella appeared next to me, bouncing and clapping excitedly. “Holy SHIT master, that was AMAZING! I could barely SEE you move. Your staff was crushing them so fast it looked like one continuous motion! Do you think I’ll be able to do that someday?”

“I think you could do that NOW with some work,” I laughed. “I wasn’t using any abilities, just the staff stances. That was pure physical combat. My stats are higher, granted, but still, no reason you couldn’t do the same thing.” I made sure my tone was supportive and reassuring. While tough love for the apprentice WAS good, it wasn’t the only kind of reinforcement. Sometimes a positive comment could be helpful too. Bella had done well with her demo.

My comment was still ringing in the air when a blur flashed in front of my face, only to be deflected by a familiar steel sword. I nodded cheerfully to my strongest B-ranker. “Hey, thank Fade. That would have been awkward. Nothing like having your head explode to ruin a pleasant conversation.”

He snorted. “Your parents wouldn’t have allowed that. The only reason I was even able to deflect it was because they’re treating this like a training trip. I got a tap on the shoulder from your uncle as a warning when he noticed it coming.”

Despite his comments being for me, he didn’t take his eyes off the enemy in front of him as Faustryche appeared before us. The man was tall. Like…unnaturally tall. Eight feet maybe. His limbs were long and spindly, and his fingers were spidery tendrils coming off too small palms. His eyes glowed that Void blue, and his mouth was full of too sharp teeth so thickly packed in that when he spoke, it was muffled. “Heretic,” he slurred, eyes flicking to the still burning flame that had consumed the imps. “Surrender your life.”

“Void lackey,” I said in a deep voice to mimic his. “Invest in dental care.” I heard a snort from behind me and turned to grin at my wife as I stepped back, letting Fade take his position opposite the vessel. Just to be safe though, I withdrew a sphere of heretic fire and tossed it to him. “Here, just in case.”

He snatched it from behind him without looking, slipping it under his cloak. “Thanks, but I don’t think I’m going to need it. Honestly, I don’t want to risk taking the fun out of this fight.” He grinned, his form flickering as he appeared in front of the vessel.

The motion was…odd. Unlike anything I’d seen him do up to now. He was moving strangely, like he had drawn himself from a scabbard and swung himself at his enemy. Every move Fade made was always in tune with his path, everything about him was reminiscent of a blade. But despite always having something of the sword about him, this was different.

While most of his movements were swordlike, this was the first time I’d seen him…DRAWN. Like he hadn’t ever bared his edge before. His body twisted, aligning every muscle and hair along a razor sharp boundary as he attacked. His blade flickered, attacks sweeping in from all sides so fast they looked like they were occupying the same space.

And then…he was done. The drawn sword was sheathed, and Fade was turning away from Faustryche. Who proceeded to literally fall apart like a jigsaw puzzle.

I raised an eyebrow, staring down at the remains of the vessel with a low whistle. “Damn. Rest in pieces, I guess.” I turned to my mother, and even she looked vaguely impressed. “So…you have any more bounties for us? Also, do we have to bring back a piece of him or something?”

She snorted, turning to glare at my dad. “He gets this from you, you know. Always needs to be dramatic and get the last word in.”

“Of course,” he said dryly. “It’s all my fault dear, sorry dear.”

He couldn’t have sounded less sincere if he’d made air quotes, but she just rolled her eyes with a smile before turning back to me. “We have ten more bounties on this level. You’re making good time, we might even be able to get to all of them. Well done with your little display earlier. I think next we’ll find you a C-ranker to fight.” My face went pale, but she didn’t notice, turning to stroll off into the depths of the level. Maybe we should have taken our time.