Self-doubt and uncertainty are two human qualities that I usually don’t need to contend with. I can easily pick the doubts from my mind and flick them into a trash can, like a pickle in a fast-food burger, easily pushing ahead with whatever I want done.

I can take a gamble when I’m not sure of the outcome, knowing the possibilities and accepting the results. It’s easy for me. Well, unless the outcome is particularly undesirable, whereupon I’ll flip the table and reassert my dominance over whatever powers are trying to fuck me.

It’s that very strength that’s troubling me.

This entire adventure with the demon puddle, and the consequences that nearly became unbearable, has forced me to revaluate myself and my choices.

Should I have made different decisions up to this moment? The healer has already helped Eshya and Vii recover, but I wouldn’t say that they’re battle ready, their mana forms have been badly damaged from their injuries, and it’s not something that’s going to heal with a click of the fingers or a tapping of the boots.

A near unbearable consequence of my decision to fight?

So then, going further back, should I have done something different in regards to Loekan? Could I have averted the war? Or at least delayed it until we had a better standing?

What mistakes am I making, that I don’t even know about?

Even now I want to throw these questions aside like I usually do to focus on the coming battle, or the coming war, or the coming class—though that one is at the bottom of the list it’s still more pressing than concerning myself with past mistakes. Yet, with everything set up, as I wait for Nel to come with her reinforcements I’m trying to force myself to consider these things.

Already we’ve laid out plans and polished them to a dull shine, while figuring out what to do when it inevitably fails us. With only the few hours we’ve worked, we’ve managed to put together a rather frighteningly capable trap.

I’m lying on the roof of one of the smaller buildings, waiting for something to happen. Thus, there’s no time better than now to consider these ill-advised explorations of my own doubts.

I honestly can’t think of something better we could have done with the demon puddle. We didn’t know enough about it and waiting for it to corner us while we thought ourselves hidden would have been far more insane that what we chose to do.

There were no great choices then, and we were, somewhat prepared to retreat. It’s just that it was more powerful than we expected. If there’s any mistake, I can think of it would be that we lacked any Skills or means of anticipating the things strength in advance of an attack.

Still, I’m not sure whether ‘not knowing of anything I can do better’ is describing my arrogance, my ignorance, or my sheer ineptitude. Considering the attack was an outright failure, my lacking awareness of solutions cannot be described as better than those three options.

I’ll speak with Red and the others about it, maybe they can shed some light on something I’ve done wrong that I still can’t see. Otherwise, I’ll simply move on.

“We’re near you, now. How far is the enemy target?” Nel asks, arriving on site.

“Still a few hundred metres away.” Eshya replies. “Stay quiet. Vii will bring you over to us.”

As much as I hate using her while she’s weakened, Vii is very good at stifling the sound of her flight, and her sight isn’t the worst among us. She carefully flies down towards the entrance where Nel and her warriors are arriving.

A few familiar faces show up, Arn is big enough that he’s difficult to fully forget, Korgan, the dwarf who can mix a fine drink, and Rare and Shen are also with her. Shen still in the scarred body of the snake that she’s taken as a host.

I almost cast aside the rest as unfamiliar until I’m surprised by one among them.

“Alo, what are you doing?” I ask the flower girl from my combat class. The one I’d already discounted as being ill suited to this sort of business. No matter how excessively I try to blink the image away, she’s still standing there.

“I’m busy with some older students. Why?” She rarely writes a message so short as this. Clearly, she doesn’t want to admit that she’s here, and unknowingly coming as part of a rescue team to save my ass.

“Just wanted to say thanks for coming to save us.” I say, just as she takes notice of Vii. I let her work through her surprise while Nel strides up to me, climbing up beside me with the same smooth perfection as when she’s working as a waitress. There’s a little more fire to her eyes this time, however.

“It’s good to see you feeling better.” She says, running her hands along my arm, and getting a close look at the split fabric where it was cut. Even in written form there’s a certain weight to the words not said.

The shine in her eyes, the tightness of her grip as she holds my wounded arm in place.

“Thanks. I’m sorry for causing you trouble.” I say. “I have found some new trading partners, though.”

“That’s good.” She nods slowly. “I do wish you wouldn’t nearly die every time your out of my sight. When are we going to settle down and have some time for ourselves?”

“Soon. Soon.” I promise, trying to figure out how to make it the truth. Surely things can’t keep moving at this pace forever, when the city is ours we’ll focus on retaining it and growing stronger. Perhaps then, things will be a little less busy.

“These are hardly the conditions to raise a child, and with how much trouble you find, I’m thinking it might be smart to act sooner before we lose our later.” She says, gripping me tighter still as she moves her face closer. Rather than kissing, she presses her warm cheek next to mine and closes her eyes in quiet thoughts.

“I’m not sure I’m really ready for that.” I reply. I know family is important to her, but… No I suppose it makes sense in a certain context, but still it feels strange. Maybe I should deal with Loekan and the other threats with a renewed haste after all.

“We’ll continue this later.” Nel says with a long, silent sigh. “Everyone should be moving to their locations and preparing for the battle.”

“If everything goes well, there won’t be a battle.” I say, knowing that this too, is going to end up a lie. Though through no intention of my own, it’s just the nature of these things.

“I’m sure.” She says, understanding just as well as I.

Together we lie down, staring over towards the spot where we intend to lure the beast for our trap to catch it and kill it.

With Nel finally here, there’s nothing more we can do to prepare. Making the final choice to stay and fight rather than to leave while we still can, I signal for everyone to make final preparations.

The beast will die, then we’ll move on to Loekan. I might have some ideas on just how to deal with him.

While our allies call in to confirm that they’re ready, I look over the traps. The first is, less than perfect, but with some help from the water mages and stone mages, we’ve been able to create a large water basin on the second floor of the building, just above where the demon puddle struck the last time.

There are no leaks yet, which is good. All our water mages, Adler included, have exhausted themselves filling it up so if it spills, we don’t get another chance. We have given Adler one of our mana potions, as our sole combat capable water mage, she’ll be able to participate in the fight should the trap not kill the enemy outright.

I focus my attention and senses on the nearby weapons next. They’re well-made and designed to carry the mana of the user for various strikes and attacks, and though it’s not the intention, they can carry magical spells as well when done right.

One of my earliest Skills allows me to delay the expression of a spell, I still use it actively to this day, by delaying the fire burst that I contain within my annihilation magic mostly. That practice has been surprisingly helpful, even if limited in scope.

I glance over the new Skill that I’ve forced to develop in order to perfect the abilities. I’ve somewhat forgotten just how useful Skills are, perfectly recording your previous actions and allowing you to do the same again.

~Trapping

Without developing and using this Skill, I wouldn’t be able to figure out how to do make these magical traps so quickly. That and the fact I already have some experience in this sort of magic.

I’m using the Skill to perfect my ability to contain a spell, especially within objects and weapons. Unfortunately, creating a lasting magical vortex is more challenging than simply casting the spell, and there’s a reason the bombs made from dark crystals are so special. As a result, each trap weapon only contains a small fraction of what I can achieve on my own.

It should still be enough, if the water doesn’t kill this creature, which I doubt that it will, then hopefully this does something for us.

A few spots in the walls contain more of my traps, though of a different flavour. It’s no exaggeration to say that this entire building is going to come down on this puddles head. I consumed a good number of the beast parts kept in the rebel storage to get enough mana for all of this.

I’m still not sure it’s enough.

“We are ready.” The large rebel says, made from thick roots, swirling around one another. His four legs shift slowly and carefully as he glares into the distance where the beast should still be.

As one of the few willing to join us in an actual fight, he’s already my favourite. There’s also something strangely pleasing in the thought of having a small tree fighting on my side. He uses a large spear, and I have no doubts that he knows how to use it.

I nod, turning towards Eshya.

“Where is it?” I ask, gazing into the distant darkness of the wider room. I still don’t know what this space is really for. Is it part of the dungeons or just more of the ruins?

“It’s a few hundred metres away. I’m ready to fight.” She says, hand resting on her new sword.

“Unless everything turns to utter shit, you’re not fighting.” I tell her. “You’re not fully recovered, are you?”

“I can still fight.” She insists, glaring at me. In the distance I can make out the flickering light of the demon puddle that we’re going to be fighting.

I don’t say anything in reply, pulling her close in the darkness. She doesn’t resist, her arms wrapping around my waist as she stares into my eyes. Light flickers in her shining gaze, a strength that isn’t bent by her injuries.

“I don’t want to see you die.” I send. “Please just hang back for this fight. Back us up, step in if it’s needed, but let the rest of us deal with this.”

She bows her head, closing her eyes.

“I’ll need you to fight in our war against Loekan.” I say. “We’re not going to let things drag on. Not here, and not with Loekan. We’ll be quick, and end this fast, and for that I need you ready.”

She nods, letting a long sigh out. Squeezing me tight for a moment, letting me go, and clutching her sword tight.

“Watch my back. Let’s do this thing.” I say aloud, looking towards the bright flickering light in the darkness. “Lights on.” I say, clapping my hands.

The demon puddle doesn’t respond to the sound of my clapping, a good sign for us. It does however respond to the bright light wand shining its way from the first floor of the main building.

The shifting liquid mass of flaming oil flows over the stone floor fast as a flash, bubbling and screaming in its alien language.

“Extinguish the light!” It repeats in all sorts of maddened variations, the sounds bubbling out from the liquid flesh of the beast. It moves like a river, a cut section added to this cavern without regards for the believability of the scene.

Running from this thing might not work as well as I’d hoped.

“Ready!” I warn everyone, getting into position where I can see into the trapped room. The triggers on the traps were the most difficult part to develop, and I’m hoping that it’ll all work properly.

The light from an enchanted wand shines out from the first floor, and the demon puddle floods through the doorway and into the room, destroying the light source the moment it’s inside.

I wait, watching closely, hoping that I’ve done everything right.

A flash of magic shines out from the second floor, annihilation triggers melting the floor and dumping the large tub of water over the top of the flaming oil. White flames sputter under the torrent and the oily mass writhes in pain.

It bubbles and screams, but it’s not the weakened pained scream of something dying.

This isn’t enough.

The first trap hasn’t killed it.

“Second trap activating.” I say, summoning a small annihilation bolt at the foot of the wall closest to me. This activates the rest of the vortexes of stored magic that I’ve pushed into the stone walls, collapsing the entire building on top of the liquid mass of flaming rage.

Walls, floors, and everything else collapses with a great roar, burying the liquid mass underneath the mass of stone and wood.

“Ready for a fight.” I send out the message and prepare for the final trick. The one I have the least hope for, but the only other thing I could think of.

Silence and darkness fill the hollow room as we wait. A void that consumes the moment, drawing upon the threads of imagination in my mind.

Is it truly gone? Is it dead?

No. It can’t be.

Through that silence comes the vague sounds of bubbling oil, and from within the dark remains of the collapsed building, small flickers of light shine through. Life that we’ve not yet extinguished.

“Light the torches!” I shout, watching the living oil seep from the gaps in the ruins.

The borrowed weapons tap against stone in a slowly building rhythm until the magic inside bursts out into bright flames. The light burns dazzlingly on each silvery blade, as enchanted wands and lamps are turned on, and mages summon their own light all around us.

The bubbling oil takes on a new note as the mass shrivels away from the light. It summons a new fire as it bubbles loud, seeping out into the open and building spears from its own flesh.

“Eradicate the light!” The bubbling mass shrieks in its own unreal language, as I duck under a hastily summoned black spear.

“Don’t get hit!” I shout, gathering my mana into my heart and directing it into my annihilation defences. “Let it burn itself out!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Skills & Stats

~Mana Form:

Current mana density: 3972 units

~Mana distribution:

Category Current Max. Defence 40% 99% Offense 20% 94% Mana Sense 40% 100% Recovery 0% 77% Gluttony 0% 79% Misc. 0% 93% Efficiency 100% 100%

~Favourited Skills:

-Tag and Film

-Trapping

-Mana surge movement

-Annihilation defence

-Annihilation flame burst

-Annihilation net