Wepish Elut was 13 years old when Honeygreen found him. Arguably young for an Elf, Wepish lived a spiteful life. His parents, both soldiers, died while fighting political battles. He was alone, orphaned, as a small boy. He stole, he begged, he fought for anything and everything. Maybe it was his raw emotion for survival that caused Honeygreen to take pity on him.

Wepish declared a small alcove in the roots of Honeygreen, his home. He filled it with various stolen items, and past memorabilia. There was only one path for him, and that was the military. Follow my parents' path, he thought, die as they did also.

Welsh’s life was over, and he knew it. The life expectancy for child soldiers was low. They simply could not keep up with the adults. But he had hope. If he could get a rare and powerful class, he had a chance. As fate would have it, someone was actually watching over him. The very tree that he slept under.

The night before he was able to get a class, the night he was at his weakest, a hand of hope extended to the boy. Wepish accepted tutelage under the great [Arbor] Honeygreen. For the next few decades, he was taught how to fight, how to stay hidden, how to spy. Honeygreen made a monster.

Wepish would do small jobs for the [Arbor]. Nothing malicious or evil, just listen to conversations from gang members or potential city threats. He would scour battle fields for people of importance, and either provide protection or confirm their deaths.

Wepish over his century and a half of life eventually found happiness. He never expected his life to last as long as it did. He often thought about that night where he decided he was alright with dying.

It wasn’t until his current mission, that Wepish realized something. He was a coward, whether he grew into it or he always was, this mission confirmed it. He was afraid. Afraid of death, afraid of the kid he was supposed to protect, afraid of the enemy he was supposed to face.

This mission would be his final, and he knew it. He would retire. Become a mentor for a local orphanage. Travel the world. Help those in need, like someone did for him. An issue arises, however. How can he get through this battle? A battle of giants, one where his skill set is useless. One where his life depends on a kid.

“Get ready, he’s here.” He heard the old lady whisper.

He hated her. Her self-entitled personality, her harsh comments, and her causal use of mental magics. Power corrupts, and she is corrupted. He thought. He had met the type before. Hell, even a few of the other [Arbors] are like her. But he couldn’t think about that now. For now, he had to survive.

The feeling of death extended throughout the whole of the warehouse. A monster was slowly making its way to them, to him. Wepish cringed under the pressure. He wanted to run, he wanted to flee. But he couldn’t, the boy and the old woman were staying. But did his pride even matter?

It didn’t. He ran.

“Wha- Where are yo-” He ignored the kid. He ran. As he ran, he yelled at nearby citizens to run. Death approaches.

He was leaving two to die, he knew, but he could combat the guilt by saving the citizens. But deep in his thoughts, he knew he was wrong. He knew if Vel and Max died, most of the city would be wiped out. [Arbors] were powerful, but their combat abilities focused on large scale. They would be useless against the Blight Wight.

“Coward” Vel cursed. Max had to agree. The man had left him during his battle with the beetle, and he was leaving again.

“Anything I can do to support you?” Max asked.

“Keep gathering water. Subtly move it around the warehouse. If he notices you, you’ll be his target.”

Max swallowed. He was scared, but he trusted Vel.

From the darkness, a man walked. Max could feel him. He felt human, if you removed the millions of bugs that crawled over and inside him. Max could feel the aura of plague that followed in his wake. It wasn’t a true aura like Max’s or Mel’s, but rather an area of death around him.

“Veline.” Buzluc spoke when he entered the light. “It... has been a long…time.”

“You are supposed to be dead.” Vel answered.

“Death... does not... come easy to Wights.”

Buzluc spoke with power and mana. It was similar to when Vel spoke with authority to the guards, but different. Max could tell mana radiated from his voice, but there was more to it than that. Speaking hurt him, he realized. His body was weak and broken, in a constant state of dying and healing. If he spoke, he would rip apart his throat and have to wait for it to heal. Max shuttered.

“Where’s Mallor? Does he still not want to see me? After what I did to him, I guess it's expected.” Vel mocked.

Buzluc didn’t respond right away. He instead looked at Max. Max flinched.

“Is he the...Seer? The one who captured... the Stalkers?”

“What? You don’t think it was me? That’s hurtful.”

He gave her an unamused look. That look made Max shiver. He’s bored. Max realized.

“Ah, I guess we should start then. You never were the conversation type.” Vel adopted a battle stance. Water rushed to her, creating a smooth suit of armor. Semi-transparent, the armor reminded Max of a mannequin. There were no creases or folds, joints, or pivot points. The water simply enveloped her in a three-inch-thick suit of water. The smallest possible holes were visible on her facemask, allowing her to breathe.

Vel held a large halberd that constructed itself around a staff she summoned from her inventory ring. The staff was made of a slightly green-glowing metal, with wooden trim. Along the shaft were various blue gems and intricate carvings. The gems acted as a power source to the runes, creating standalone power to fuel the main purpose of the staff. A large, centralized, fist-sized crystal was set stationary in the tip of the staff. Power was cycled through the crystal, creating a low hum and deep glow. The halberd was simply a medium for the staff, giving her the use of a melee weapon while also keeping the bonuses of her staff.

Rings and various jewels covered her body, and the armament was rounded out by a crystalline crown. The crown was the most complex looking item Vel wore. Made entirely out of clear crystal, the crown sat perfectly on her head. Gems of all different colors were embedded within, creating an opulent reflection of light.

It was hard for Max to tell what else she wore, the swelling waters constantly flowing around her proved too opaque. Vel was in full battle mode, that much was known. Max knew he had a long way to go.

Buzluc lifted his arms into the air. Swarms began to deploy, causing Max to cast his domain. Water crashed onto the swarm and Vel fired off basic Water Bolts. She was testing Buzluc’s defense. Insects moved to protect him; others scattered to attack. It was then Buzluc noticed the water droplets in the air.

His bugs were wetting themselves and falling due to the extra weight. Vel had prepared a counter specially made for Buzluc. A smile made its way across his face. He was no longer bored. A spike of ice caused him to have to dodge. The spike embedded into the ground next to him and exploded into shards.

Buzluc’s skin was torn, but quickly healed over. 5 more spikes landed close to him, and each exploded with the same ferocity as the last. He didn’t bleed, his undead heart unpumping. Instead, bugs poured out of the open wounds, joining their comrades.

This battle was a war of attrition, and both parties knew it. Vel had to play slow, if she missed a powerful attack she would run out of mana and subsequently lose the battle. She also couldn’t whittle him down. His insects weren't mana. They were millions of contracted plague bugs. Buzluc had found queens and sheltered them within his body. In return for protection, the bugs would attack for him. A symbiotic relationship, Max would call it.

Vel had a strategy, however. Stalling. Bishop, and an army of soldiers and guards would arrive here soon enough. Vel had made sure to alert the authorities as soon as she sensed Buzluc. She could only hope to last that long.

Buzluc realized his choices also. He had fought countless battles in his second life and knew the general strategy enemies used against him. They were all the same and all boring to him. Buzluc normally fought defensively. He would let the enemy run out of steam, before crushing them with overwhelming swarms. But this fight with Vel, would cause him to go on the offensive.

A spear of rock and earth shot from the ground. It launched high into the air, and while it spun, it gained an edge. It was crude and poorly made, but it was enough for Buzluc. Rocks moved to protect his vital point, his head. Buzluc’s only armor was a helmet, any more would only slow him down.

He charged, spear in hand. Vel reacted by freezing the ground. It was the same maneuver Max made against the charging beetle, but in this situation it didn’t work. Buzluc had anticipated ice and grew rock spikes into his feet. The makeshift cleat gave him enough traction.

A head on battle was inevitable at this point. Vel increased her armor size, hoping to better protect against Buzluc’s plague. The two crossed blades. Both moved faster than Max could follow. While blades clashed, water shifted into spikes and spouts. Vel expertly weaved spells into her attack patterns.

She used Ice Spikes as feints or combo initiators. As they battled, Max moved water around the room. He didn’t know her plan, but he did as she asked. All of a sudden, a chunk of Vel’s armor was torn from her hold.

Bugs swarmed from every injury he took, landing on her joints. They would be instantly drowned, but the extra weight was slowly adding up. Every few seconds Vel would have to purge her armor replacing it with new, fresh water.

While Vel’s attacks were more formal and precise, Buzluc’s were ruthless and unflinching. He would purposely take a hit if it meant getting Vel on her back foot or overextended. After a heavy parry, Vel lunged. Normally a lethal strike, her blade did little more than acting as a way for more bugs to enter the battle. Buzluc took his chance. With a sinister smile, a dense swarm of bugs slammed into Vel, knocking her off balance. He lunged.

Buzluc had landed a hit. Vel took no damage, her armor proving resilient enough, but it showed a weak spot. Vel was never the best with melee weapons. She preferred long range uninterrupted casting to scrappy skirmishes. After all, the Deep Strider Clan was known for healing, not fighting. She would lose at this rate.

She changed her plan. The water under her control turned solid black. The room suddenly turned opaque. The droplets obscured vision within the warehouse, causing everyone to be blinded. Everyone except Max because of his affinity. But to his surprise, Vel seemed to know Buzluc’s movements.

She’s tracking the water on him. He realized. It was a difficult technique, Max had done it before, but never while actively fighting.

Disks of rapidly spinning water sliced through the air, aiming towards Buzluc’s legs. A shield of insects gave him enough time to react. He dodged and tunneled himself into the ground. Vel took this chance to create 3 clones of herself. Well, her armor at last.

Water mannequinwas a very high-level water manipulation spell. Acting as a template, Vel is able to create copies of herself. The clones used will projecting to serve a purpose. Most of the time, clones would serve a simple trivial task. Moving heavy boxes or keeping guard. Vel on the other hand was able to utilize them to cast more impressive spells. The solid black clones ran off, creating a square shape with Vel in one of the points.

“MAX DODGE!” She yelled.

Max’s eyes widened as he Space Skipped a few times forward, creating enough distance to feel safe. His heart was beating faster than he had ever felt. The spot where he had been standing a hand now protruded from the ground. Max almost died. One touch and the plague would have overtaken him.

“Going for the kid? Really?”

A feral growl came from the undead. He launched bowls of rock around the room. Water was trapped and pushed away. Enough had been moved for him to continue his melee assault. He had noticed the clones. He knew what they meant. The ground below Vel erupted like a springboard, catapulting her forward. The two clashed again. It was obvious to Max that Vel was charging a spell, but to Buzluc he was making progress.

The shadows in the room elongated. The floor of the room was entirely black. Vel moved water to different areas, creating patterns. The shadows hid the movement. Max recognized what she was making. A Water Rune. The clones were acting as a relay of Vel’s manipulation. While she was occupied, they could keep building the rune. The rune was similar to the one he encountered at the library in the book about Icer, The Naga Queen, but on a much grander scale.

From his small knowledge of runes, Max knew the water produced was created. Similar to when he pulled water from the atmosphere, albeit much slower. Whatever spell Vel was planning to use, needed a lot of water as fuel.

As more and more of the rune was created, Max gaped. Thousands of lines and intersections. Hundreds of gates and switches. Dozens of power sources and starting points. The rune wasn't simply a single rune. No, it was hundreds, all laid together, making use of all possible space.

A snake made entirely of black water flowed around shelves trying to catch the dodging Wight. Rocks were launched in hopes of impeding the serpent. Every chunk or hole would quickly reform, only bolstering the snake’s flight. The water on Buzluc slowly began to freeze, slowing his movement. The snake hit, launching him into the wall. The wall glowed with white pulsing light, signifying wards were in place.

The primary swarm attacked. To defend, Vel had to end her freezing spell and her regeneration snake. The swarm dive bombed her, breaking into her water armor. The water began to rapidly spin, relocating the insects into a domain much like Max’s. Buzluc saw her distracted and catapulted himself to her. Most of his bones were in the process of being healed, making his attacks sluggish and weak.

Again, they began to scrap. This time Vel focused on only manipulating her halberd. She couldn’t afford to stop her spell now. Without the advantage of her magic as support, Vel fought defensively. She didn’t strike, she didn’t commit. To an untaught, they might have thought that Vel was running away, and to a certain extent she was.

Vel used her clones as an obstacle for Buzluc. She would hide behind the dark mannequin, forcing Buzluc to either attack through it or reposition around. He chose through, the water absorbed his spear, trapping it. Hundreds of spears broke from the ground, all rushing towards Vel in retaliation. The clone never broke its manipulation of the rune.

The rune was complete, and water started to gush. Slowly the water levels began to rise, and without constant drain on her concentration Vel pushed. Vel moved faster in the water, Buzluc on the other hand found it an impediment. Spike, bolts, saws, and spouts formed in the room, each positioned and launched at precise times. The clones were now on the offensive, creating spells and throwing them with perfect timing.

The dance of the battle turned even more in Vel’s favor. More and more injuries appeared on Buzluc. Without his primary swarm, he was almost defenseless. A well-timed faint with her halberd caused Buzluc to dodge into a Water Saw, slicing deep into his thigh. Bone and muscles showed, and he was momentarily stunned.

Ice hailed into him just before he was able to launch himself away. The water cushioned his fall, one of the few downsides for a [Water Mage] to flood the arena. Buzluc was horrified as Vel smiled triumphantly.

“Do I need to remind you what happened last time you saw this spell?” Vel laughed.

Buzluc hissed. Water in the warehouse was now up to Max’s knees. Max estimated they could supply a small waterpark with this amount of water. A pillar of rock raised Buzluc out of the water. Vel did the same, but simply stood on top of the water. Both stared at each other. Hatred and disgust in both of their eyes.

“You can’t win now. And we both know reinforcements are on their way and you have no way of countering what’s next.”

Buzluc frantically looked for an exit. Each door was covered, and the hole in the ceiling was shrouded in ice. Suddenly the walls started shaking. Wards broke, and holes started to form. Buzluc smiled.

Wepish hated himself. He had escaped the immediate danger. He had evacuated the nearby citizens and regrouped with the soldiers and guards that had arrived. They surrounded the warehouse waiting on orders to move in. They could hear the battle raging inside, and Wepish was happy at least one of them was still alive.

[Arbor] Dripleaf was there in person. She was the primary militant faction leader and her men were the fastest arrivals. She had taken what Vel said to heart and kept her men ready. The results showed.

Hundreds of guards and soldiers, all of whom were briefed on Buzluc, stood before the warehouse. She was ready to give the order to charge, but a wall of ice, water, and wards inhibited all from entering. Unbeknownst to Lady Dripleaf, Vel had closed off Buzluc’s exit and intended to keep him occupied until Bishop arrived. Her grand spell was simply a bluff.

Lady Dripleaf could hear that the battle inside stopped, and she feared the worst.

“MAGES! BREAK DOWN THE WALLS!” She ordered.

Fire, rock, lighting, water, air, and other countless projectiles flew towards the building. Wards light up across the outside walls. They were of the directional type. They were meant to keep whatever was inside from getting out. The barrage of spells broke them easily and started ripping to the walls. Holes started to appear giving a certain Blight Wight an exit.

Buzluc dashed through the broken walls, and out into the night street. He released the few hundreds of bugs he had left. Guards and soldiers started to fall. As he tore through the horde of enemies, Buzluc had a wicked smile. He knew he had lucked out. Vel’s spell would have finished him off, if not for the wards being broken.

A giant hand made of water broke through the ceiling of the warehouse. The body it was attached to soon followed. A humanoid giant of water watched the carnage below. Vel sat below, next to Max, she was cursing. Her cage was useless now, and the spell she hastily constructed with its remnants was also useless. She couldn't send her giant to give chase through a densely populated city.

By the time Vel finished dismantling her spell, the battle was over. Buzluc was gone, and the only job to do was heal the survivors. Max and Vel got to work. A few minutes later, Bishop and the others showed up. Emi tackled-hugged Max, unsure if he was real. He smiled softly. The others were disturbed.

Bodies lay where they last breathed. Withered screams from the dying and pleas for help from those who survived sounded from across the broken street. Vel was too focused on healing to notice the others. She only worked to make a rain cloud. Healing waters fell, just in time for some, too late for most.

“The battle was won. He fell into my trap…” Vel muttered.

“I know. It wasn’t your fault.” Was all Max could say.

He stood with the old woman as the others scoured the battlefield for survivors. They had to use specialized protection wards to walk through the graveyard of plague. Many of the Elves died, grey and shriveled, others died of bug bites, and others from a spear as they fought their final battle.

Reep was the one who found him. Daggers in both hands, he lay. Wepish, the coward. The others gathered around him and held a moment of silence. Only Max and Vel knew his true colors. They both decided to not tell the others. Let the memories of the dead fall as they lay. They both thought in their own ways.

The group eventually decided it was time for them to leave. They had done all they could, and they had plans to make. On their way out, Vel asked a mourning guard, one who she healed.

“Who gave you the order to break my wards?”

“Dripleaf.” He answered automatically. There was no life left in the man’s eyes, he was nothing but a husk.