“We should find some smaller fights on our way to strengthen ourselves. Usually there can be found some elementals near bigger rivers or mountains. Near here that would be at a river some 5 kilometers in our general direction. Because the town we’re walking to lies at this river we can combine our directives in one go. I think our enemy will close the gap to us in about 1 or two days so we have enough time to get 10 or even 20 levels by killing small prey.

Because you don’t like undead I will only use spells for siphoning life energy to destroy the targets and be your tank while you should focus on magic. If this is ok with you?”

Iranueel reflected for some seconds before he answered.

“I think you’re right. And some extra levels would be real nice. By the way where is the next portal to Gaias dimension?”

“The next one I know of is in Tibet and is heavenly guarded by her followers. They will demand a price of 50 levels in energy. Oh yeah, I just forgot. You can store some of your levels in a soul container. It’s the usual method of paying for deals between avatars. You can create these things by selecting how many levels you want to store in it and then think of creating a marble containing the energy. It’s really easy and when you crack the marble in your hand the energy is absorbed by you. No energy loss.”

“50 levels is a steep price to pay for starters like me. A question on a side note. Do the usual powers of earth have any influence in Gaias spheres?”

Misako shook her head.

“No, if we can make it there, we would be safe for sure. But I think, that with my mark they would immediately note the change in directions and take precautions against it. We should really get this mark removed.”

Iranueel agreed to this and just as he wanted to say something, Misako took his arm and pressed it lightly and with the other hand gestured him to be silent. She laid her head a little bit to the side to hear better and he followed her suit. Concentrating on the sounds in the forest he acknowledged quite silent noises of breaking twigs that approached them from north.

He looked to Misako who signed him to move silently to the left to hide behind a big boulder. She stood there and drew her knives, preparing for a fight. The tension in her muscles rising her eyes scanned her surroundings with fast movements. Whatever closed the distance seemed to have noticed that it has become silent in her part of the forest and accelerated without trying to disguise its movements anymore.

Iranueel watched his back also and if he wouldn't have done this he would be backstabbed pretty badly. A asian looking man with a slim build attacked him with a long machete like knife in hand. Iranueel dodged to the side and brought his own knife in position. The man stood with his back to the boulder and the young avatar concentrated his magic into it to make an earthen spike directly in his enemy's back. Sensing danger the mobster threw himself forward only to get scratched a bit by Iranueel's magic. He seemed to be shocked by it to a certain degree.

Iranueel took his chance and made a step forward to get his knife in his enemy's throat.

The man dodged nimbly to the side and caught Iranueels arm turning it with him. The young avatar learning the power of martial arts the hard way was tossed over on his back and landed hard on the ground, directly followed by an elbow right into his solar plexus winding his breath out of him.

The enemy fighter stood back up and attacked again with his knife in hand, trying to end the fight with a slash over Iranueels throat. But the young man regained his senses in the last possible moment and rolled to the side only getting a shallow cut . Still hurting but nothing life threatening.

Iranueel collected a bit of power in the earth under his opponent and made it rise with a violent thrust. Caught unaware the gangster was hurled 2 meters into the air. Seeing where he would land, Iranueel rolled fast around with the knife backhanded. Burrowing the blade into his enemy on impact he only got a wound in the right tigh, but this was enough to slow the fast moving man. He had to give it to this sucker. The guy was tough as nails because he didn't even flinch when the knife left his leg with a wet sound.

They both stood up as fast as they could, but the triad member limping and bleeding hard. Iranueel seemed to have hurt the bigger blood vessels, indicating that the man would die soon if not treated fast.

A smirk on his face Iranueel knew, he only had to draw the fight a bit longer and he would win. His desperate enemy knewing his imminent death threw himself forward trying to grapple Iranueel and kill him with his last strenght. But withdrawing from him with fast steps he denied this option. Instead he made a beeline for Misako, knewing that every step would leave his enemy with less life.

The gangster tried to follow him with rage in his face but the leg didn't have enough strenght for fast movements anymore.

Iranueel came around the boulder and saw Misako cornered by two men against a tree.

Both of them had long katanas with them and made simultaneous attack, one high and the other low. Misako threw herself forward with the grace of a cat right between the blades and rolled herself back on her feet.

Iranueel took this opportunity to threw his knife with a fast wink of his wrist right into the left mans back.

The man screamed and Misako took the chance and jumped into him driving her blade deep in his chest. The big man became limp and fell to the ground with her on top of him. Cursing the other man made a fast overhead slash right onto Misakos back, leaving a deep wound in the woman. Misako cried out loud and slumped to the ground.

Iranueel hoped that she had enough life left in her that she wasn't dying on the spot because now he had the undivided attention of the last unhurt member of the team.

He ran to the side, watching the man careful taking his time to screen the overall situation.

'Bad idea, you moron' thought Iranueel and used the time given to him for collecting energy for a spell. Lightning flowing down his arms and to his finger tips he was ready to release it into his surprised enemy when the dead colleague of the mobster suddenly jumped to his feed and grappled his former ally from behind and took a bite right into the throat. Ripping it open like a bag of sweets the blood sprayed all around the place.

The obvious risen zombie turned around and went to the last surviving gangster who just limped around the corner. With a terrified look on his face the young man tried to defend himself when the undead rammed him to the ground.

Iranueel watched the scene with disgust and already having collected the needed energy for the spell released the lightning, toasting the crying mess of flesh on the ground.

He looked to Misako and caught her eyes. She seemed to be in bad shape and in a lot of pain, but smiled still.

“Sorry for the zombie. Old habits die hard.”

Rising his left brow, Iranueel answered.

“Really?! I had everything under control, you know.”