"Can we handle it? I don't know if Bart can take on the beam attack…" said Veronica as the lion's stance turned to one of assault.

"Don't worry, let your Master do his thing," he answered back.

"Bartholomew, Reflecting Shield and Toughen up!" He ordered. At the same time, his staff grew in dim light, and as the shine became a proper radiance, he placed the staff on the kid's head.

Bartholomew's body had started vibrating, and all the little buckle tied to his right arm had emitted had pulsed of a blue light; when the radiance transferred from the staff over to him the intensity of the vibration and the Mana pulse redoubled, then his body grew twice the size, freaking Gabriel and Liz's out!

"What the hell did you do?!"

"That? A simple Growth Spell, Elvish Magic. His Attributes have increased by more than eighty percent for eighty seconds. And I'm telling you this only because of your general ignorance. Nobody would go and flaunt their Skills like this."

Gabriel and Liz exchanged a glance. She shrugged as it was becoming her habit; Gabriel shook his head in desperation.

Then a violent beam of green and white light washed over them, and Bartholomew intercepted it.

The beam made an eerie sound, almost like a fork on a plate, just much, much more powerful.

"Veronica, Charged shot!"

But Veronica was ready before his call. Her bow was pulsing with Mana. The pulses were seemingly releasing from it, only to be sucked back into the arrow; then she released.

The arrow shot forward, leaving a trail of crystal behind; she had aimed for the lion's glass crown.

And correctly pierced it.

It's like the owl guy's skill! But that left lightning in its wake!

As the arrow cracked part of the crown, the lion's beam-attack, gathering light almost like…

Is that Solar Beam? ...was interrupted.

The lion whined from the pain, falling from the rock on which it stood. Scrambling back up the next second.

I gotta give it to it. Is it actually smaller than a true lion? When was the last time I was at a Zoo? Do you remember, Lizzy?

Liz gave him a thought, then she counted with her hand as if she remembered something.

You really could answer that? Mighty Wakan Tanka… what are you?

"It's going to attack directly now. Bart, prepare another Toughen up and get in front of your sister; Veronica, as soon as Bart intercepts the mauling, you shall use Built to Fly, then use another Charged Shot.”

The battle proceeded as the elf had seen; until Veronica missed her shot, and the Toughen effect disappeared.

Oh no! 

The lion brought the kid down, a huge paw, literally sending him sprawling on the ground; then, it assaulted the elf.

With a "tsk," the elf hit him with his staff.

The attack resulted in a shattered crown, and the helpless lion ended tumbling on the tall grass, confused.

"Come on, Veronica, finish him."

As ordered, the arrow hit true, stabbing through the eye of the beast.

The lion thrashed in pain until a mad Bartholomew got close, and taking his shield in both hands, started bashing the lion's head until it stopped moving.

Well… that was gruesome.

"That one shot could have cost your brother his life. Remember that, and if it had not been I, but another mage of your level, the beast would have mauled him, then you would have all died."

Come on, don't be that rough. Thought Gabriel, and he was about to speak his mind before the master continued.

"Now tell me, did I order your Bonded Spirits to stay put?"

The kid looked confused for a while until they opened and closed their mouth in understanding.

"Do you see your mistake now?" Varcivald asked them.

"Yes, Master," they answered, dejected.

Then the party decided to continue. But Gabriel was confused.

After a bit of cautious walking, Gabriel couldn't refrain from asking.

"Varcivald, I… what was their mistake? Other than missing a shot, I don't get it?"

"You don't? Then listen, what makes you a Druid?" He asked.

"I sincerely have no idea, actually. Magic?"

"Magic? If it was so, I would be a druid as well; everybody would. But no, you have a clear advantage over me. Yes, I have Magic, yes I have access to Elvish Magic while you don't, but you have something which I would trade my powers for. A companion made of your own Spirit," he continued after letting his point sink in," Do you see the mistake now?"

They didn't use their Bond Spirit…

"They acted without the help of their Spirits, right?"

Varcivald nodded, smiling.

Gabriel thought back on how he had started to actively use his companion since the start or well since she started it. He turned to look at the little lizard, contemplating.

The rest of the march went on silently until they came up to a group of three hyena looking things.

"Smoldering Hyenas, Level 5," Varcivald announced.

"I think we'll take two. Would you like to test yourself with one, Gabriel?"

"It's a level 5… though I still don't even know what gaining Levels entails, but I think I'll take you up on that offer," answered Gabriel. The tiny lizard jumped down from his shoulder, landing on the ground without a sound.

"Perfect. Bartholomew will taunt them; they shall probably try to encircle us first and then attack all together; the slowest will be the one you shall take by surprise, Gabriel. All clear?" He said, turning toward the children as well. They nodded in unison.

"Alright." Gabriel took out his gun and sword.

"That," said Varcivald, pointing at the gun, "you better not use it here. Guns are for closed environments, or used with a silencer, that would attract all manner of beasts."

Shit. That's… most definitely true.

"Damn…" Gabriel put it back on his belt.

"It seems we need to count only on our sharp edge, eh, Liz? Are we sharp?" The lizard pointed at herself, nodding, then pointed at him, shaking her head.

The thing drew a chuckle from the still, a little tense, children. And even a smile from Varcivald.

"You little… Yeah, maybe you're right."

"Bart, go," said Varcivald.

They all got up from their crouching; the zone had fewer patches of tall grass, so even Veronica, the smallest, could not hide very well in it.

Bartholomew banged his shield with his armored knuckles, drawing the hyenas' attention. The creatures were rather on the ugly specter.

Their teeth were not perfectly lined up, and their bodies emitted fumes as if they were burning up from the inside; patches of exposed muscle were glowing red.

They jumped up in attention, heading straight at Bart, at first encircling him, then widening as the others came into view; when one of them shot forward, Veronica did the same, but upwards, toward the blue sky; she started charging her shot.

This is it! Let's go!

There was a slower Hyena, but not that much.

With his sword drawn forward, Gabriel launched at the beast. One had already reached Bartholomew and was uselessly trying to bite through his reinforced gauntlet. The other two were almost on him as well, but as Gabriel tackled one, his shortsword bathing into the creature's ribcage, they both stopped.

Gabriel did not expect to strike with that much momentum; he lost the grip on the sword and went rolling over the Smoldering Hyena, drawing both their attention.

Now he was swordless and was facing one more enemy than he planned to.

Shit. Gabe's hand ran to his pistol, as the Hyena that had been hit righted itself, and the other one circled to his back; Liz was nowhere to be seen.

I can't shoot the gun, what do I do? The throwing knives! 

But he had left them in his bag; he could not simply remove it and dig through it to take them out; there simply was no time for it.

The Hyena from behind dashed at him; Gabriel turned around with a scare.

However, the mad rush was interrupted, as a bigger than usual fellow shot from the ground toward the creature, crashing with its head on the Hyena's jaw; droplets of liquid fire flying around as the creature cried.

In front of him, a twice bigger than usual Liz was facing the downed Hyena. In the distance, another one cried.

Gabriel looked at Varcivald, nodding in thanks, receiving a nod in response.

"Don't let it get up, Liz!" Ordered Gabriel as he turned around and started running for the Hyena, which was ready to prowl on him.

He kicked the floor with Burst Attack empowered steps, but the Hyena managed to land a bite on him. Gabriel screamed as they rolled on the grass field.

Veronica yelped, aiming her arrow at the creature, but Varcivald stopped her, shaking his head.

The young man managed to get a hold of his shortsword, still in the ribcage of the creature; his wound sizzled amid the fangs of the bastard; but as he gripped and brusquely moved the sword about, the creature opened its fangs with a lament, letting him free of its deadly embrace.

Gabriel managed to barrel through the pain thanks only to adrenalin; he gripped his sword in both hands and unleashed a Burst Attack empowered strike on the beast once again; he missed the neck by a hairbreadth.

The second time did the trick, but he was left with only one Energy point to spend, dizziness descended over him; Liz had used all his available Spirit points as well; so she could not make any more Burst Attacks, she would be at the Hyena's mercy.

Yet Gabriel would not allow that.

He ran, forward, his teeth gritting; his last Burst Attack powered his dash once again; adrenalin doing its work, helping him fight off the sleepiness that menaced to overcome him; he whipped out his pistol.

As he engaged with the creature, he was fortunate to have placed his right arm in front of himself to cover for his neck; it was immediately bitten through, his bone cracked audibly. Yet, he was exactly where he wanted to be. His gun at the Hyenas mouth in a second, he barged it inside, shooting once, twice, thrice… he kept trying to shoot as his Mana completely ran out, his finger grinding the trigger uselessly.

The dead Hyena dropped on the ground, releasing his broken arm from its smoldering maws; and a headache washed over him; but Gabriel smiled.

His Liz was alright, and he had accomplished his mission; he had done better than he thought he could, and together with his Bond Spirit.

Before fainting, he turned around to smile at a frantic Varcivald and the children, all three of them rushing at him with a face plastered in worry.

"You are an insane one, are you?" said somebody.

Gabriel opened his eyes. He was in a tent on the ground, no, in a sleeping bag.

His arm was bandaged and laid out of the bag's cover.

"Your Bond Spirit was right. You are pretty out of your mind, human." continued Varcivald. He was cooking something on a stove.

Can he talk with her?

"It was almost a random choice. I was dying there," answered Gabriel, chuckling, and surprisingly, he felt recovered.

"Ha!" Laughed the elf.

"Where are we? And where are the kids?"

"The kids are on guard duty. They've managed to bring down three more Glass Lions thanks to your display of team play."

"Those kids are really something," said Gabriel.

"Yes, I'm kinda proud of how they're coming up. I just hope their family won't make the same mistake again… It would break my heart," he said, gaze lost in the slow cooking pot. The pot was set on a metal frame, over it a blue fire dance, but not too much given the wind's absence.

"What do you mean by- Ouch!" said Gabriel, trying to get up. The thing managed to draw Liz's attention; she ran inside the tent, she was apparently stationed on the outside of it.

"Watch out, your Recovery doesn't cover burning damage very much, still. I suggest you check your Anchor Page; changes are probably waiting for you to acknowledge them, to take hold," Varcivald suggested.

 

You have killed (2) Level 4 - Smoldering Hyenas.

 

You have gained: Level + 33.8% Class Level + 26% Spirit Level + 26% Burst Attack Tier 1 + 26%

"Haha! Hahaha! All that, and I'm still halfway to level one! This is going to take too long, way too long…" Gabriel sighed.

"Why are you in a rash? Planning for the fastest way in which to reach the Endless Road?" Asked Varcivald, intent on stirring what was revealed to be a stew.

"I need to go back to Earth, my mother doesn't know I'm here, she has no idea what here is… It's been days since I disappeared. She'll think I'm dead, and she's already lost too much." He tightened his hands into fists; Liz sprawled on his unbandaged arm, looking at him in the eyes.

"I guess that could be kind of a problem, but you could-"

"Ask whoever has let me enter this place to communicate it to her? Already on it, but I need to reach the Rapids of Mana for that."

"The Rapids of Mana? That's Waterfront only territory. Infinite Mana at your disposal. You could train up to getting Mana poisoning there. I doubt they'll let you enter. Unless… you've got an appointment with one of them."

"Bingo!"

"Well, if that's so, even if you had to wait a few years, joining them would be a great stroke of luck. They are one of the most powerful groups out there; it would pave your road in this world."

"I don't need groups, I need to go back home, even if I have to put myself in this kind of situation; I'd do it over and over again if it's the only way to quickly level up."

"Gabriel, you're talking like a stupid child." The stirring stopped, "From the way you fight, you not only have zero training, but you are also like an untamed beast. I bet this isn't even your first time getting yourself almost killed. Your mother might suffer, but she'll live, while you're certainly going to die if you keep like this. Live, live, and eventually, you will see her again, ask for forgiveness, and even take her here if the Waterfronts allow you to."

Damn…

"You're talking exactly like a teacher does...party crasher…" He chuckled.

"Yggdrasil bless your soul… I am a teacher, at heart and by trade." The stirring commenced anew.

"I've healed you as best as I can, but I suggest resting, you regenerate at little less than twice the basic regeneration speed of a man given your Bond, but without my healing, you would be dying all the same. Now listen here, cause I won't repeat myself twice."

Varcivald got face to face with him with a speed that Gabriel could not register coherently.

"The training trip will commence tomorrow morning anew, we'll spend the night here; tomorrow we'll take on the ants cave, and you'll join the party, but not a word! If even a single word comes out that I'm helping you for free or lending out one of my already bought party slots… I'm going to tear your appendages one by one, including your dick. Was I clear?"

Gabriel gulped. "Very clear… Sir."

"Then get your rest; the stew is almost ready."

 

***

 

The girl was resting on the single massive rock.

The rock at the Rapids' center was shaped more like an iceberg. Her silver blue-eyed wolf was crouching by her side.

Gaia read from one of her favorite passages in the Coming of the Heralds. The book of prophecy, which the greatest prophet in the recorded history of Alter had written.

The book itself was seventeen hundred years old.

...The tide of change will not only do their bidding, it will always accompany them in their stride, and when the time of revelation will dawn upon the many worlds, only the tide will stand by them, its interlocking, the only weight generous enough to withstand the fury of the Vassals and the false Gods.

Its sole purpose will be to serve the Heralds, the tide will raise with their very words, and descent with fury upon all that is-

Gaia stood up, removed from her reverie. Her light azure hair fluttering in the wind, her blue eyes took the dim light of Mana, when her head tilted toward the uninvited, and extremely unpleasant guest came to meet her.

"Still waiting for your false Herald, I see. You're wasting your time Gaia. You could do much more now that the Priests of Lore are on the move again; instead," he paused for effect, "you're stuck here, training your men... There are much better trainers than you at our disposal. Are you sure it's not just an excuse because you got too scared last night?"

The man said to her, a gigantic green-furred wolf by his side.

"If you're done with your soliloquy, Alan, there are far better things YOU could be doing right now, like running for your life before my fangs get into you!" She fused with her wolf in a moment, turning into a proper werewolf-looking creature, and releasing an angry roar in the valley. It obscured the sound of the Rapids for a few seconds, its echoes ripping with Mana, the Rapids boiling pure Mana fumes in the sky with it.

"Shit! Get a grip, woman! I said, stop it. You'll give me Mana poisoning! You're crazy!"

Alan was forced to make a run for his life.

Gaia split from her Spirit and sighed.

"You know he's right," said the wolf.

"No, I don't know, Crystal, and neither do you."

"Fair enough… but I'm having doubts, which means you're having doubts as well," it replied.

"To have doubts is… human" Gaia said. "And even more so when your own father, the biggest believer in the Heralds' return, is convinced that the one you're counting on isn't one…"

"Well, your father is not one to believe something he hasn't seen with his own eyes," a voice answered.

When Gaia raised her head, a marvelous Elk, standing on a platform of air, had appeared out of nowhere.

"Yagais... if you're looking for my father, he's not here. The Seer of Carnage and her obsession with his destiny is not exactly what-"

"Gaia," thundered the Elk, "Lena is looking for you this time."

"For me? Why?" She was a little taken aback. Her beautiful bright blue eyes widened, and her brows arched.

"That is not for me to say, but for her to declare," it stated.

"Then I shall come with you, just don't let me meet Nastia, please." She accepted, her eyes rolling around.