“Nice to meet you, cat,” Circe smiled maliciously before promptly adding: “I’ve already tasted what your race’s meat tastes like. Not bad. And cats’ fur is best for my winter boots.”

Circe surveyed Snowflake all over, as if checking out how to best employ every part of his body.

As Circe gazed at Snowflake with evil eyes, Helial felt a shiver down the spine. Circe was his official fiancé, but he still hadn’t had enough time to come to terms with this. It still felt like a dream – or rather, given the malicious expression on Circe’s face, like a nightmare. But, well. Those two bumps on her chest would suggest that it might be a dream nonetheless.

Unlike Helial, Snowflake glared down at Circe yet kept his mouth shut.

Even though Snowflake was quite impulsive and proud of his own capabilities, he acknowledged that Circe was, after all, one of the most talented youths in Orma. Snowflake was pretty sure that his being Helial’s friend wouldn’t grant him any salvation. If he offended Circe, no one could spare him become Suburran Goblins’ new snack.

Luckily enough, the hunting groups were called out. They soon had to gather and listen to the last information before the training started. Circe turned on her wheels and walked away without further ado.

The students were dismissed soon enough. The group set out for the forest in excitement. They enjoyed no moment of silence along the way. Lulu, Lumia and Frankenstein tried to make friends with Vlad. Their train of questions though only got in a couple of mumbled syllables in return. Helial and Snowflake behaved differently than usual; their exchanges of words were serious and none of them hurled at the other.

“So, they gave us the Infernal Seagull Dungeon to complete,” Snowflake said casually as he cast Helial a sideways glance.

Helial’s eyebrows furrowed. He glanced behind his back and said, his voice lowered: “Seagulls are dangerous unpredictable monsters. We all need to coordinate as best as we can, or they’ll blow our formation to pieces.”

“The beak of Infernal Seagulls is as tough as steel. They’re all in the Second Phase, so we can only kill them by hitting them hard. They feed with the brains of other animals, which they suck out through their beak. I wonder what we can come up with,” Snowflake said. He looked unusually calm.

Snowflake did boast a lazy ever-hungry attitude, but he did his homework. The days he had spent in the Royal Library made him something more than a complete ignorant. Being unaware about what danger could be hiding in the dark is a fatal move.

Snowflake asked him: “How strong do you think Circe’s Generals are?”

Helial gave him a baffled look. “No idea. Rice doesn’t seem strong at all, but Circe wouldn’t appoint an ordinary warrior as her General, would she? Flautus is no doubt the weakest, even though his melee-classed roots make him a swift expert both in attack and defence.” With a twist of a hand, Helial raised index and middle finger: “Dipper is one to steer clear of. His Aura has more than one shape. Which means he has no single specialization. I would classify him as second best. And as far as Francesca is concerned…”

From the very back of their little group, Vlad was walking listlessly as if dragged by the others. As soon as he heard Francesca’s name though, his eyes light up. He fixed his gaze on Helial.

Helial immediately sensed two eyes lain on his head. He turned around and met Vlad’s gaze, fixed on him.

“Did you see that?” he told Snowflake, who had turned as well.

“I did. This whole thing sucks. Your girlfriend didn’t bestow you with her cousin. She burdened you with a responsibility,” Snowflake said, a mortally serious gaze on his face.

“Francesca is the strongest warrior of Circe’s little crew. Her talent is only second to that of Pseudonym or Circe herself,” Helial went on to say, making Snowflake’s words go unnoticed. He turned again and gazed ahead.

They went on discussing. After a while, they informed the rest of the group about the place they were going to explore in detail. It would make an extremely important test for their group. After all, Helial couldn’t solo every Boss they stumbled on forever. They would need to strike the right synergy.

They walked in the Dungeon. It lay on a secret valley whose emerald meadows clashed with its threatening name, Infernal Seagulls Dungeon. However, the shrieks of the birds they heard from time to time would seem to suggest that the Dungeon name was a pretty consistent one.

“Infernal” didn’t refer to the Dungeon indeed. It referred to the frightening seagulls whose food was the brains of their preys, which they sucked up after piercing their skulls with their steely beak…

“We need to pick up their feathers. Whenever you see a Seagull drop some item, dash for it,” Helial warned them. “Now, let’s go into our formation. I’ll be at the forefront. Lumia and Lulu will be our supporters. Snowflake will stand just next to te, and will be our DPSer when I catch the attention of the Infernal Seagulls.”

Then, Helial turned towards the last member of their group and gave a sigh. “Vlad, I saw you have a bow. Any preferences on the position to take in this formation?”

Vlad gave Helial the most disdainful look. After the baffled gaze of the group, he turned on him, leaned against a tree, and fell asleep.

“Does he even do something other than sleep?” asked Frankenstein as he cast Helial a puzzled look.

Helial shrugged as he said: “Ignore him. If he gets into trouble, I’ll reach for us. Now, we have a Quest to complete.”

Skill Activated:

Perception

Skill Activated:

Flame of the Qilin

As they got ready for the incoming fights to face, and as Vlad noisily snored, Frankenstein began to solidify his Mana shaping it in a number of different ways. His expression was folded in a sardonic smile that betrayed his fullest enjoyment.

“You scare the crap out of me when you do that face,” Lulu said as she held the Staff through which she cast her Skills.

“I’ve come up with a new way to employ my Mana. Look, it’s easy,” Frankenstein said as he waved his hands in air like a maniac.

Lulu listened to Frankenstein’s nonsense, lost in his ramblings. Meanwhile, Lumia was staring at the two Goblins in curiosity. They seemed to have bonded. Slowly, her gaze flew to Snowflake and Helial. Her lips shaped the kindest smile. Lumia really was happy to see some friendship in Helial’s life. Despite none of them being willing to admit it, Helial and Snowflake were now true friends whose mutual respect and admiral increased with each passing day.