"What! What happened!" Walker had felt all the pressure of the flames he compressed and sent at the great ice imp but there was no damage? How could this be? He desperately checked his mana seeing he still had more than enough. However he noticed the system message about the new skill...maybe there was still a chance.

The greater ice imp was stunned for a moment, it had felt fear at the first sense of flames but now realized that the attack had done nothing. It's rage subsided in to a feeling or arrogance, it would crush these enemies.

Laurence was stunned, walker had called for a retreat leaving the monster to move forward. The attack had done nothing, the plan had failed and now they were sitting ducks. Stella seeing the advanced started to descend to strike at the imps eyes. Seeing this walker panicked, the attack was supposed to bloom and explode Stella could be hurt.

" Elise! Stop Stella! The attack will hit her too!" Walkers words didn't go unnoticed he said the attack would hit her to, was his attack still not finished?

Elise dropped in to a bought of fear, Stella couldn't get hurt. If she lost Stella it would be equal to cutting out her own heart. Elise desperately sent her thoughts to Stella who was descending faster and faster. "STELLA!!!!" Elise screamed with all her might , she needed to protect her. She was powerless just a tamer without any skills of her own. She had always relied on Stella for battle and support but now that Stella was rushing in to mortal danger she couldn't do anything.

Elise began to move, her body seemed possessed by pure emotion. She refused to allow her heart to be torn. These feelings resonated with her.

Walker looked in horror as Elise ran toward the greater ice imp. Elise would die too...they would loose their new friends. He was too far to grab he and pull her back. He wouldn't be able to save her. His heart sank, everyone else was shocked feeling the same fear of loss and powerlessness.

However Elise started to change, her tamers cloak began to tear as wings began to spread from her back. Her features sharpened and her shoed fell to bits as talons formed. The grey and yellow feathers on her wings shown in the sunlight dropping everyone's jaws. Elise leaped and flapped her wings moving faster than she had ever moved before. She intercepted Stella who was already too close to the imp. The two collided and fell out of range of the greater ice imp.

Hundreds of flaming vines erupted from the minuscule wound on the greater ice imps chest. The vines burned and tangled around it stopping Its movement. The ice clubs dropped to the ground as it became a cracking of flaming vines and screeching growls. Buds began to form soon growing in to large balls of flames. The buds bloomed showing thousands of pristine red and yellow petals. A moment after the bloomed they exploded in to balls of flame, each petal spreading and burning the target inside. The force knocked everyone off their feet sprawling them in the snow.

Scrambling to stand in light of the explosion stunning them Otis and walker were the first up to focus on the badly breathing greater ice imp. The attack had yet to finish it but had greatly burned it. The winds from gils arrows were much worse after being hit with fire and it would be impossible for the imp to stand again even if they didn't finish it off. Walker looked at Otis who nodded. Otis would not take this kill for the tribe, he had respect for walker as a leader who had put his bets plan in motion. With a returning nod walker came forward.

Creating a spear from earth and combining it with his mana shot walker aimed at the great ice imps head. He released it piercing the monsters brain ending the battle.

' Greater ice imp defeated

100exp multiplied to 1000exp gained

Daily quest completed: defeat the greater ice imp

Reward:

60 exp multiplied to 600exp.'

There was no time to look in to the system message, Laurence had already taken off running to Elise.

Walker and the others burst off immediately as well. The found Stella with a broken wing holding Elise who was completely unconscious. Elise had reverted back to her normal form torn clothing and all. Tears fell from stella's eyes on to Elise, not a single person doubted that she even cared about her own broken wing and only for Elise's well being.

Laurence fell to his knees and began giving Elise a once over, walker followed his lead and started inspecting the damage to Stella. It only appeared that Stella broke a wing and had minor cuts and bruises from the fall. The ice was not a safe landing spot and definitely caused most of the cuts. " Su, Gil, Remey I need you three to hold down Stella while I heal her wing, I'm going to hold it in place and use light heal until it is properly in place. Stella this will hurt but I need you to be still so it heals properly. You and Elise will be fine we are here and refuse to let anything happen." With that they moved in to place.

After they had Stella held in place walker moved her broken wing in to alignment. The silent screams sent shakes through her body. Steeling his will walker began to cast light heal over and over. Watching the joint and broken bones slowly fuse back together with each heal spell. Five uses later it seemed that the bones in her wing were back together and could be left to heal the remainder themselves. Stella had become numb and exhausted through this process passing out in to their arms. Now it was time to see how Elise was doing.

Laurence and Otis had found no putter injuries other then a purple bruise to her head. " other than this bruise I think she just exhausted all of her mana, it's safe to say she will be out for a few hours. Walker can you heal her just to be safe? She may have hurt her head" walker gave a nod and used his light heal skill, the bruise fades almost instantly. Elise seemed to be resting well.

Collectively they all breathed a sigh of relief, " five snow imps, a greater ice imp, and Elise risking her life to save Stella from my new spell. I think today has been too much." Walker looked and felt emotionally exhausted. Midnight nuzzled her head on his side trying to calm him down. Onyx who had curled up for safety in the pocket in his shoulder popped his head out trying to do the same.

" yes I think our hunt should be over now, it will be much too dangerous to keep these two out in the open. Let's get them somewhere safe to rest." Otis said what they all thought. No way would they risk anything more, it was best to return to the tribe.

Walker stored away the greater ice imps body to sort out later. He would confer with the elders on what it could be used for after Elise and Stella had woken up safely.

They all needed some time to sort out what had just happened in their own heads. Walking back in formation Gil finally spoke up, " so can anyone tell me what just happened to Elise when you know grew wings like a harpy?!" The single thought everyone was having was finally said out loud. Laurence who was carrying Elise seemed to have an answer.

Looking at Riley who was now carrying Laurence's bag the two nodded. They were both tamers and knew of the skills a tamer could possess, however as a party themselves they had to weigh the decision to share the specifics. This wasn't out of distrust but a lesson taught by the tamers guild as they grew.

Making the agreement that it was acceptable to share Laurence continued, " many tamers have skills that allow them to use traits of their tamed beasts. Such as flying or hearing, some can even temporarily grow a tail. Although I've never seen it as intense as completely changing a body. We will need to ask Elise when she wakes up. I have a feeling she gained her mastery skill. It was incredible." If what Laurence had said was true they all had just witnessed the unlocking of a mastery skill. These were the key skills in someone's system, not only did it show their true power but was also their trump card. The use of a mastery skill could change any battle instantly.

Not everyone managed to gain a mastery skill, some didn't even have one as part of their system. More so there was also the quests and hidden requirements to unlock it at all. Some would go their entire lives not even knowing they had the potential for a mastery skill. Others would unlock it in great moments of pressure, this was most likely one sick moment.