First I change the pool into a big screen TV and float it in the air so I can see it better. I quickly change the image to high definition, as Mericel just gawks at it. Then I carefully imagine a howitzer cannon and it appears next to us, I imagine it being linked to the TV for targeting and a remote appears in my hand. I point the remote at the demon on the TV and a red dot appears.

"You should cover your ears."

Mericel covers her ears and then I pull the trigger. *KABOOM* I watch the explosion seconds later on the TV, just for a second I can see pieces of the demon flying, but they disappear as the demon respawns.

Mericel says "What a horrifying weapon! How did you come up with that?"

"It is a weapon that existed in my old world."

Mericel says "What kind of monsters would you need a weapon like that for?"

"Human ones."

Mericel looks confused and asks "What do you mean?"

"The only monsters in my old world were the human kind, like your father."

Mericel looks sad as she realizes what I mean, and I feel a little bad for taking away some of her innocence. I go back to looking at the screen and see the demon is now running downhill, he must have heard the cannon fire and is now heading this way. I use the remote to target him and kill him two more times before he reaches the plains.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Mental Attack has progressed to level 2!

Mental Attack

Level: 2

Wis +4

You know how to launch mental attacks.

I watch as the demon charges towards us across the plain, I am waiting for him to get closer before I hit him with the next surprise.

Mericel says "He's coming, we should run!"

"Just wait, be patient. I have it under control."

As the demon gets closer I imagine the plain around us changing, and as I imagine it the plain starts to shimmer. It resists at first but I am stubborn, and before the demon is even halfway the entire plain except for an area around me turns into a lake. Even at this distance I can hear the demon scream in anguish, because this is no normal lake, it is a lake of holy water.

Mericel says "How did you? You changed the environment? But that means..."

"What?"

Mericel looks at me with wide eyes and says "It means your willpower is stronger than the demons."

"Oh, so it is the demon's will that keeps this place how it is?"

Mericel says "Yes, and to change it you have to overpower his will."

The demon finally crawls out of the lake and onto the rock beach by the mountains. He looks to have shrunk over a foot from all the times he died in the water. As he is standing there looking at the lake I point the remote at him and pull the trigger. The demon hears the cannon fire and tries to run but it does him no good. As I watch the demon die again I smile at Mericel.

"You know, I kind of like this place."

Mericel says "There is something seriously wrong with you!"

"You have been watching me this whole time and are just now figuring that out?"

Mericel give me an annoyed look as I kill the demon again with the howitzer. For some reason each time the demon blows up I can't help but smile.

Mericel says "You know he will get here sooner or later. What's your plan then?"

I just smile at her as I imagine a castle wall growing up out of the water around the island. Watching the look on her face as the wall appears is almost as good as watching the demon die.

*DING*

Congratulations! You have acquired the mental skill Mental Defense!

Mental Defense

Level: 1

Wis +3

You can somewhat protect your mind.

Mericel says "What good is a wall going to be against a demon?"

"A wall made out of holy stone and covered by holy marble should be pretty effective."

Mericel says "Are those things even real?"

"Doesn't matter here, as long as I can imagine it."

Mericel points at the screen and says "Looks like the lake and the wall won't matter now."

I look at the screen and see the demon has grown large bat-like wings and launched himself into the air. He is now flying towards the island and to Mericel's shock I start laughing.

Mericel says "What are you laughing at?"

"He is flying!"

Mericel says "Exactly, he will fly over the lake and over the wall. Then what will you do?"

"He is flying over the lake of holy water. So what will happen if he loses his wings?"

As a look of understanding appears on Mericel's face I turn to the screen and imagine the demon's wings disappearing. It doesn't work, the wings don't even shimmer, and the demon just keeps flying closer.

I realize I can't affect the demon directly so instead I imagine myself teleporting onto the demon's back. I draw Blitz and make two quick swings.

*SCHINK* SCHINK*

As the now wingless demon is falling and before he can get over his shock I teleport myself back to the island. I sheath Blitz and turn to the TV in time to watch the demon hit the water. When the demon makes it back to the far shore he looks to be about ten feet tall instead of twenty.

The demon is now pacing back and forth along the shore, I kill him two more times with the howitzer. Then I feel a pressure in my head, I quickly realize the demon is trying to change the lake back to rock. I focus and firmly hold the image of a lake of holy water in my head.

After a minute the pressure disappears, but when I look at the TV the demon has disappeared too!