Sarah noticed her flames turnt blue. She felt ecstatic, she was getting stronger faster! Fire was so powerful, it almost seemed unfair to compare herself to Alex and Eian. Her new friends also noticed the change.

"Uhhhh!" Alex jogged foward to away from her.

"Holy shit! I can sort of feel that from here." Eian was joined by Alex.

"HOT!" Jessica was behind her.

Sarah turned to look and noticed Jessica actually retreated away from her. Sarah checked her reserves, she was roughly a little over half full. She had used a total of twelve fire-balls, and had two ready since they emerged from the pool. She recovered quickly in-between fights since her energy never went too low.

"Sarah those are a little hot. Can you tune it down?" Alex.

"We need these in-case we get attacked." Sarah, she wanted to chuck it at an undead and see how it fared.

"It's really hot Sarah." Jessica complained.

"Maybe only increase it when we are in danger?" Eian.

They discussed it and Sarah reluctantly lowered the power out-put till it turnt green again. Apparently she had instinctively had the fire-balls at maximum at all times.

The group kept going through the cobblestone network. They encountered another set of five soldiers and Sarah experimented. She maximized out-put on both fire-balls and sent them towards the shield wall. The impact blew two of the skeletons sending them rolling backwards violently. It even shook up the remaining three a bit, she was a bit disappointed it didn't kill them.

-'Those stupid shields.' Sarah was annoyed they had those.

Alex charged foward and engaged the skeleton to the right, he had it easy. Eian was engaged with the two to the left and was defending admirably. Sarah charged up another blue fire-ball aimed properly and sent the blast towards one of Eian's opponents. It flew off it's feet and went rolling. Alex had killed his opponent and another that was on the floor injured. Eian killed his opponent soon and also killed another on the floor. Jessica was tasked with killing the final injured one.

"Cool those send them flying backwards." Eian.

"I would have thought they would have done more." Sarah complained.

"The impact does damage them. They couldn't even get up quickly after the impact." Alex.

"They get damaged rolling on the floor like that." Sarah explained.

"You can't expect it to melt the metal, fire that hot would probably kill the rest of us." Jessica.

"True, hopefully I'll kill something that burns quickly." Sarah wanted to get even stronger.

"Let's keep going this part seems easy." Alex.

"Cool." Eian.

Alex stayed behind Eian, she was surprised how durable Eian had become. He had come far from that slightly over-weight average guy a while back. His muscles were defined. It didn't matter for now though, she was glad Eian was willing to be lead.

'He tackled that mutant-monster when we were running too.' Sarah inwardly smiled happy Eian was doing good.

She remembered Eian accelerating to maximum sprint, prior to the tackle. The tackle itself had been hard and nasty, Eian had staggered backwards and landed hard. The mutant had spun side-ways and landed on the ground. Sarah had stayed behind to help Eian, while Alex ran to catch up to Jessica. She had unleashed her second fire-ball at the mutant to give them both time to run. She was still pissed he had tossed her into that pool though, with so little warning.

Currently the tunnel's cobblestone was firm, but her ballerina shoes were uncomfortable after so much running. She half considered ditching them and continuing on foot. Her clothes were now dry thanks to her flames, but her pants felt really uncomfortable. That was really strange too, something had been nagging her alot lately. She hadn't gone to sleep wearing what she had on at the moment, prior to the start.

They had passed a few doors which led to simple rooms, which held nothing much of value. Some held simple ancient bunks with a few chairs, the sheets were all moldy and mostly rotten so they couldn't use it. A few books were in bad but not rotting condition. Jessica took a plain knife and strapped it to her belt. They stumbled upon a latrine that must have been so old they didn't smell anymore. Eian crafted a stone toilet seat for them to use on top. They returned for the books they had found and used it. Sarah was glad they didn't devovle into anything too barbaric again.

"Guys more up ahead, they're wearing alot of armor." Eian.

"Roger." Alex.

"Be careful." Jessica.

"Don't be reckless boys." Sarah

The five skeletons were wearing degraded cloth, with metal: med-helms, arm-less curiass, long tassets, and simple vambraces. They held metal shields similar to the men and an assortment of swords, axes and maces. They stood prepared in a typical shield wall formation. Sarah upped her fire-balls to maximum and used them to destroy the formation. Eian and Alex confronted the three enemies left standing.

They boys were having a hard time killing these enemies due to the helmets. Sarah fired another fire-ball to a third standing enemy and sent it flying. Eian got a lucky hit through the helmet and dispatched his enemy, while Alex was still fighting. The first skeletons Sarah had blown back were having trouble getting back up, but were already close. Eian and Alex disarmed Alex's opponent together and Eian helped Alex get the kill. By then the first two skeletons were up and Eian and Alex engaged those. The last skeleton was still recovering.

Sarah aimed at Alex's skeleton, gave a warning call and sent it staggering backwards. Alex helped Eian get his second kill. Alex got the third kill easily with Eian's help. Alex and Eian once more disarmed the final skeleton and had Jessica get the kill. Jessica mentioned she finally got her tattoo blinking and selected Mind as Sarah advised. Sarah checked her reserves again and noticed she was just at half.

"FINALLY! HELL YEAH! Time to suit up." Eian.

"Haha, yeah man." Alex.

"Jessica, grab a helmet and try on one of the boots." Sarah ditched her leather helmet and grabbed a metal one.

"I know." Jessica.

The boots were too big for either girls, and Alex and Eian didn't need them as they had running shoes. Alex and Eian each fully wore all different pieces of armor the skeletons had. Sarah couldn't as they weighed alot and substantially decreased her movement, she wore only a helmet and vambraces. Jessica was a little sluggish, and so forsook the curiass as it was the heaviest. They now looked like a true group of role-playing not-so-nerdy nerds, well except Sarah she looked like a real witch with her fire-balls. Sarah suggested the boys replace their weapons, they should have one of each different weapon. One sword, one speared-axe, and one mace.

Eian checked his fore-arm and mentioned his tattoo was finally glowing again. He said he would select body and soon he semi-jolted as if in shock. He shortly fell to his knees groaning.

"...ugghhh..." Eian.

"EIAN?! Man you okay?" Alex.

"WHAT?! What happened?" Jessica.

"EIAN? Are you okay?" Sarah was worried he did something bad.

"....Hungry. I'm really... fucking.. hungry." Eian.

"Jessica give him the food!" Sarah.

Eian stuffed himself full and lay on the ground breathing irregularly. He had eaten enough for two. He took off his helmet and was shivering. Cold sweat dripped down his face and he held his belly as if in pain.

"...Feels ... like a.... bad...mmm.. cramp." Eian grit his teeth.

"Is he okay? He looks hurt inside." Jessica.

"You're body obvious needed more food." Sarah deduced easily.

"...uuugghh...." Eian.

"I'll heal him." Alex.

"I don't know if it will help. He's not hurt, just hungry." Sarah.

"Gotta try." Alex placed his hand over Eian's stomach.

"...fuu...ck..." Eian was not showing any signs of recovery.

"Stop for now Alex, lets take him to one of the abandoned rooms till it wears off." Sarah.

"Roger." Alex.

"Jessica grab Alex's shield, I know it's heavy but its only a short distance." Sarah.

"Okay." Jessica.

It took roughly five minutes. By the time they reached the room Alex and Eian were sweating, though Alex substancially less. Jessica was a little out of breath, but not much. Sarah was busy watching behind and infront of them for any enemies. They closed the rotting door behind them and sat down to relax. They all checked their tattoo's and Alex mentioned his was blinking as well, though he couldn't tell for how long.

"Pick spirit. Try asking if Eians condition needs any help." Sarah.

"Okay." Alex selected something and closed his eyes.

*****

Alex opened his eyes and was once more at the forest pond. He spotted Vita near the pond again, and the unicorn was also there laying by her side. He walked towards her.

"Hi. Good....Morning?" Alex.

"Hello again. It's actually night where I'm at." Vita smiled, she looked alot happier than last time Alex was here.

"So Ms.Vita sorry for being abrupt, but my friend selected body and collapsed. Is that a permanent problem?" Alex.

"Oh my. Has he eaten?" Vita.

"Yes." Alex.

"Before or after?" Vita

"After." Alex

"Was he thin? Did he have any extra body mass?" Vita.

"No he was well muscled, and no he didn't have much, if any, fat or extra body mass." Alex explained hoping it was nothing bad.

"If he eats well for a while, he will be fine. If not his body will be extremly hungry and weak till he does." Vita.

"Can...can he die?" Alex was really worried now.

"He won't die from the strain right now, but if he doen't completly sate his entire hunger for say a day he could die. His body will also not finish developing untill he has eaten enough." Vita.

"Okay so we have time? Can I help him with magic?" Alex.

"Yes. Try to get enough food for him. Magic won't help, his body doesn't have sustenance. Magic can't help if he has nothing." Vita.

"Okay thank-you." Alex.

"You're welcome. I expect you're in a hurry? Shall we proceed?" Vita smiled sadly.

-'Shit this is my fault. I should have held on to the damn food instead of the shitty spear.' Alex was extremly depressed, he knew Eian had been eating alot.

"Yes, thank you, but I really need to get back and help him." Alex was desperate to get back.

He intellectually knew time passed slowly here, but he was itching to get back and help Eian. Vita took out another symbol this one was shaped like three pointy leaves.

"This symbol will allow you to cure most maladies. Be it in yourself or others. It will help curses, diseases, infections and even withdrawals, as well as a hangover. Very useful for heavy drinkers." Vita smiled.

"Okay thank-you again." Alex said.

"Your welcome. I hope to see you again." Vita smiled.

Alex envisioned the three leaves and blinked.

*****

Alex blinked and moved slightly.

"So?" Sarah wanted to know how they could help Eian.

"Yeah you're right he needs more food by the end of the day or he could die." Alex explained quickly.

"Shit. He's not realy in a good condition to be moving." Sarah.

"We could try to run and find some food." Alex sounded rushed.

"No. We can't just leave him here." Sarah.

"Maybe me and you can hurry go get something and come back." Alex.

"What?" Jessica sounded surprised.

"Alex. Calm down. We all have to go its dangerous. Jess can help him walk. We can leave some equipment here and return for it later. Also remember we left that dead turtle back there, we will crack its shell with the maces." Sarah explained.

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry." Alex acutally blushed, which Sarah found hilarious, not that she would let it show.

"Let's hurry." Sarah.

They left most of Eian's armor and weapons as well as Jessicas long-spear. Jessica only took Eian's mace and her knife on her hip as they went back the way they came. Eian only had a long-sword and his helmet. It took about an hour of rushing slightly to reach the turtle again, Eian had eaten the rest of the meat by then. Alex and Jessica whacked the shell till it cracked, which took about five to ten minutes.

Sarah cooked it, while Eian went off to use the restroom away from them, Alex was close to him for safety. Luckily there were alot of puddles for Eian to both clean himself properly and for everyone to safely drink. Eian ate alot more and was groaning every few minutes. He fashioned a small stone barrel for water, though Sarah made sure to have him wear a large piece Alex's pants on his hands, for hygenic purposes.

The group carried the water back along with slabs of cooked meat, which took them almost two hours due to the weight. By then they all sat and waited for Eian to say his tattoo would stop glowing. Alex's tattoo stopped glowing shortly. It took three more hours, alot of food and Eian had to use the restroom every so often, luckily there were a few book pages about this time.

'He looks pretty miserable. Well at least he looks like he hits the gym every-day.' Sarah felt bad for him, he had clearly undergone a hellish experience.

He definately looked like a semi-pro body-builder or maybe a buff martial-artist. His muscles were big and definitely surpassed Alex easily. Sarah was just glad to have it all over with so they could continue.