Chapter 44

“This one seems to be doing alright. It’s interesting, I had heard of the undead of Aachen, but I expected more. From the stories, their empire was besieged by the dead. They must be exaggerated, these things could barely harm a village.”

“The room can only replicate illusions of the low Rank undead there, I’m sure the reality was much worse, especially with a Lich inhabiting the area. The negative energy alone would be enough to deter most people from exploring the city.”

“He had extensive experience with the undead and is showing adaptability and sound tactics. But, I’m not familiar with the spell he used to summon the shadow creature. Is it unique to Illyria?”

“Doubtful. I’ve never known them to have any unique magics. It’s far more likely the boy has had some good fortune, or possibly, family magic that has been passed down. Regardless, it’s nothing but a Tier 3 spell. How long has it been since the test has started?”

“20 minutes, and it looks like he’s running out of steam. He shouldn’t last much longer once his spells are depleted. A pity, with an adequate guard to protect him, he could be quite effective at controlling the battlefield.”

“I think you may be in for a surprise. It seems he’s handy with a blade as well. He may last a significant amount of time longer, especially with that shadow assisting.”

“I’ve seen enough. He’s demonstrated his skills and experience. Pass him and bring on the next. We’ll see how he handles the other tests.”

Standing in front of a large crystal projecting Wil’s battle against the undead, were a small group of three people. The first, a tall, male warrior wearing heavily enchanted plate mail armor, his arms folded as he watched the projection closely.

The second was an older woman wearing long, mage robes, who was eyeing the magic being cast with a critical eye.

The third was a hood figure who seemed to blend into the shadows of the room, making it difficult to discern their features. Even their voice was masked, making it impossible to determine its gender.

Seeing the others nod at her words, the mage lifted her hand and made a swiping gesture at the projection. The illusion within, of the undead city of Aachen, began to fade to black, before being replaced with the bare stone room again.

“Next!” The warrior called, eager to have the testing finished. It had been a long day and he had other things to do.

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The undead were endless, and knowing they were illusions didn’t make their assault any less real. The few blows they landed certainly didn’t feel like an illusion.

Wil threw everything he had against them, until they burned by the hundreds. The fires of his magic so intense that even the surrounding buildings were in flame.

The only thing that kept him from being quickly overrun were the slowing effect of the Shadow Spawn’s wails, and some quick ‘Webs’ that blocked half the street.

He wasn’t concerned about their endless numbers, even if they did break through. He could always assault them from the air on the Clockwork Owl, although he preferred not to rely on it too much. The draining of his mana to maintain his companion would be better served offensively against the undead at this stage of the battle.

Throwing both his hands forward, fingertips splayed apart, he channeled his mana into a fan of flames that quickly swept over a group of zombies. Not stopping, he used his new teleportation ability to appear next to his shadow, his sword already out and sweeping in a wide arc. The magically sharpened blade cleaved away the reaching limbs of the zombies, and a deafening shriek from the shadow knocked them backwards.

Wil found himself falling into a familiar routine that he had developed in Aachen. The quick, fleeting attacks against an overwhelming enemy, constantly moving and weaving, dodging grasping hands and relentless, untiring attacks.

It was welcoming, in a way. He had always wondered why Garman appeared to enjoy himself so much while he fought on the wall. Wil had thought the man a bit insane at first, until the grinding months had worn away at him, to the point he felt the same way. That surge of adrenaline, the feeling of purpose in defeating an evil foe, the freedom from guilt for wiping out a deserving enemy.

‘Maybe I’m just as crazy as him.’ Wil wondered, as he thrust a hand forward, a wave of flames erupting to blanket a trio of zombies before he used ‘misty step’ to appear in a clear space away from his foes.

Breathing heavily, Wil wasn’t sure how much longer he could last. Already, burnt corpses covered the ground, but there were always more to replace them. At least in Aachen, he always had the chance to retreat, to plan his battles. This one was just about throwing himself at the enemy until he fell.

Taking a deep, steady breath, he channeled more of his mana when the zombies suddenly stopped. Like snuffing out a candle in a dark room, blackness covered everything in an instant, before lighting again. In a moment, Aachen was gone, and in its place was the blank, bare stone room.

Hearing the doors unlock and slowly open, Wil let his control over the Shadow Spawn fail, the wailing dirge ceased as the summon slowly disappeared, his shadow sliding across the ground the fall beneath his feet, stretching against the floor as light flooded the room from the open doorway.

The disinterested woman was back, her book of names and information still clutched in her hand. He expected some emotion, maybe surprise or joy at his passing. Instead, he was treated with the same, crooked finger beckoning out of the room.

Too tired to argue with her, he dutifully followed along, letting the last dregs of mana seep back into his core. He knew he would reek of ozone, the magic lingering around him even as he left the room. It was a side effect of casting a large number of spells in a short period of time. The higher tiers cast, the longer it lasted and stronger it smelled.

If the woman was discomforted by the smell, she didn’t show it as she led him up the stairs and down a maze of hallways.

Just as he was getting lost, she opened a door to a large dining room, the table filled with sumptuous display of food, places already set. Gesturing him inside, the woman didn’t even wait before she left, intent on bringing the next person to the testing room.

Inside, Wil was joined by a half dozen other people, already sat at the table, and eating. Several were in conversation, he suspected they arrived together or had known each other before hand. Most of the group were isolated, sticking to themselves and watching each other warily.

Wil couldn’t blame them, he suspected that depending on the tests, they could be the competition. He hadn’t heard of any limit on how many they accepted from each group but being too friendly with each other may cost them their place in the Guild.

Shrugging, Wil sat at the table, piling food on his plate as he enjoyed the meal. He had been too sick to eat much at the inn, and the exception from the test had given him and appetite. Clearing his plate, he was reaching for seconds when the door opened, letting a new person in.

It was a young man, wearing white robes with a symbol that Wil didn’t recognize on the front. his expression eager as he made his way to the table. Noticing the atmosphere, he took a place at the far end of the table, quietly eating and watching the others.

Leaning back on his chair, Wil subtly took in the others in the room. The pair in conversation on the other side of the table were younger, around Wil’s age, with dark, tanned skin. One was a swordsman, dressed in heavy chainmail with a plain tabard over it. His companion, a woman, was wearing mage robes. From their mana, Wil suspected they were Rank 4 or 5, weaker than him, but not by much.

To his right, the large, muscular woman he had noticed in the courtyard earlier appeared to be dozing in her chair, her feet up on the table. Although it was rude, no one would be willing to call her on it, not from her heavy plate mail armor that showed clear signs of wear and use. Combined with her mana, Rank 8 or 9, she could flip the table over and Wil wouldn’t say a word against her.

He recognized competence when he saw it.

The others were similar, a half dozen potential adventurer, all eager to join the guild. As time passed, more people joined them, until just under twenty people were gathered in the room.