“Well that was a shitshow.” Luke said once Linus stopped treating Archie. “Definitely not finishing off the bandits today.”

“No shit, this is what happens when two thirds of your group are non-combatants. Archie should be coordinating my social schedule and making up excuses to my father while I’m out drinking with friends or making a new wine. We are not supposed to be hunting fucking bandits in a random forest. This is what the Army and Rangers are for.”

Luke was rendered speechless, he’d been impressed with how well the noble had adapted to life on the road and picking up a combat class. He’d been expecting to babysit a spoiled brat and while Linus was definitely spoiled the noble had also exceeded his expectations on numerous occasions. He should’ve anticipated this reaction at some point, most people had a hard time processing their first violent encounter. Of course most of the people he typically interacted with had that encounter much earlier in life but still, sheltered or not the noble needed time and sympathy.

“I’m sorry Linus, that was callous of me. You and Archie have done great and he will be fine. That being said, we should start moving. Please grab my bow, your sword and any arrows you can get your hands on.”

“And what are you doing that you can’t grab your own shit?”

“Carrying Archie.”

“Ah, okay… Thanks.” Luke gave a soft chuckle and nodded at Linus.

A few short minutes later Linus had gathered up everything Luke had requested, glad for the reminder about his sword then they set out. Much to Linus’ surprise they mostly traveled parallel to the camp instead of retreating far away.

“Shouldn’t we be heading out more?”

“We took out another nine bandits today. Their number must be significantly depleted at this point and with the most recent round I’m thinking we should switch from ambushes to a fortified position. How much can you do with [Basic Earth Manipulation]?”

“Pretty much what you’ve already seen. It’s already capped out at level 5 and I don’t have a slot to create a class or an opportunity to pull it into an existing one.”

“It’s fine, I think the bases you’ve made previously are a good start though we’ll be aiming for more of a bunker type situation. Can you tunnel with your current skill?”

“Barely, it’ll take a long time and they won’t be the most stable tunnels ever.”

“Eh, we'll keep that as a backup plan then.”

Linus nodded as he continued to follow Luke, once more glad he had an almost Tier 4 to lean on, and carry Archie. Soon enough Luke called it and laid Archie down next to a towering tree.

“This is where we’ll fortify and fight. Why don’t you take a nap before getting started?”

“What about Archie? Should I use [Invigorate] on him to wake him up?”

“No, let him sleep and wake up naturally, he’s been through a lot. Feel free to do another [Heal] on him to be safe and I wouldn’t say no to an [Invigorate] myself.” Linus nodded as he followed Luke’s advice, first casting [Heal] and feeling no change in Archie before hitting Luke with an [Invigorate].

“Alright, I’ll take that nap now. Please wake me up if there is any change in Archie.”

“Of course.”

Several hours later Linus was gently shaken awake.

“Wake up Linus, Archie is stirring.” He blinked away sleep as he heard Luke speak before sitting up and turning to his friend. Sure enough Archie was starting to wake up. Several tense minutes passed before he opened his eyes.

“What happened?”

“We mucked it up a bit but never mind that, how are you feeling? Need another [Heal]?”

“I’m actually feeling pretty good, a bit drowsy and confused but fine other than that?”

“That’s good to hear Archie, feel free to go back to sleep. You’ll be safe here.” Archie nodded before closing his eyes again and relaxing back into sleep. “Now that you’ve rested you ready to start building a bit of a bunker?”

“I guess, what are you thinking? Never built anything bigger than our previous camps.”

“No worries, we’ll take our time and make sure it's done right. Here’s what I’m thinking...” Luke spent the next several minutes outlining his imagined bunker for Linus, answering a couple of questions and explaining how it would work with his new plan. Finally Linus started to get to work.

Over the next several hours Linus laboriously dragged soil from further and further away to slowly build up a conical wall around the giant tree, tapering closer to the tree as it rose while forming an empty moat around the wall. As he built up the wall he carefully compacted the soil, making it harder and harder, compressing it as solid as possible. He made the exterior as smooth as possible while building stairs and a platform along the interior. While he was working on that Luke disappeared at one point only to return with a few thorny plants. Taking them from Luke he proceeded to spread them through the empty moat, using [Enrich] then [Growth] along its circumference, creating a brutal ring of thorns around the wall.

Once the construction was completed Linus took another nap while Luke woke up for a watch shift. By the time morning rolled around all three were wide awake and ready for the day. Linus took a look at his outstanding notifications while eating breakfast.

Mana Blades has increased (3/20). Stealth has increased (9/20). Sneak Attack has increased (7/20). Minor Regeneration has increased (7/20). Heal has increased (6/20). Invigorate has increased (11/20). Enrich has increased (11/20).

Happy with his gains he tries to summon more throwing blades, this time they are almost exact replicates of his and Archie’s and he can summon three of them. Finished with breakfast Linus and Archie retreat to the top of the wall with Luke perched in the tree.

“Listen up men, I’ll be heading up as high as I can. From there I’ll be able to fire into the camp. Once the bandits come to investigate I’ll head down the tree and join you. You just need to hold the wall. Use your throwing blades to ward them off and swords if they manage to cross the moat and scale the wall. Any questions?”

“Will you really be able to hit the camp from here?” Asked Linus.

“Yes, won’t be that accurate but hopefully arrows raining down on them will encourage them to chase us down.”

“Great, just what I was hoping.” Archie drily added.

With that Luke gathered up most of the quivers of arrows and clambered up the tree. A few minutes later they started to hear the whistle of arrows firing down. Tense minutes passed as Linus and Archie waited for the bandits to arrive. The arrows stopped then the bandits started to approach. Linus and Archie started throwing, starting with the mana blades but using regular throwing knives whenever there were delays in Linus summoning new ones.

The trickle of bandits slowed down then reemerged as a solid block, with people in the front bearing shields and ones in the back carrying bows. Linus and Archie ducked down behind the wall as arrows started coming their way. While pinned down the group made their way to the moat and some enterprising bandit threw a few lit torches into the thorn bushes. While the living plants didn’t immediately ignite they started smoking heavily and started to catch on fire.

Smoke billowed up, enveloping them and blinding them to the bandits’ activity. While they couldn’t see they could hear them, hacking away at the bushes then harsh clinks and scrapes.

“Retreat to the tree Archie, I think they are climbing up the wall.”

“Luke said to hold the wall.”

“Forget him, I don’t know where in this tree he is but we aren’t dying on this wall waiting for him. They have us outnumbered and our advantage is gone with this smoke. Now jump to the tree and start climbing.”

Archie made the leap and Linus followed right after, carefully climbing up the tree one branch at a time. It was still smoky but gradually diminished as they got higher. They stopped once they were out of the smoke and could see the bandits.

“Let's wait here until Luke makes his way down.” While they waited and watched the bandits Linus used [Growth] on all the branches immediately below them to increase their coverage and protection. Soon after Luke ran into them.

“What’s happening down here? I think all the bandits left the camp to root us out.”

“No shit. They came prepared with bows and turned our thorn moat into a bonfire.”

“Do you think our throwing knives can reach from here?”

“Won’t hurt to try. I’ll start picking them off with my bow and you guys do what you can.”

Luke started to pick them off with his bow while Linus and Archie tried attacking with summoned throwing knives. Initially they rarely hit the target but as Linus refined the blades, making them shorter and thicker. Not long after they started to attack the bandits located and started firing back. Thankfully the majority of their arrows fell short and the ones that made it barely had enough power to pierce their armor.

Slowly the bandits' numbers dwindled as the fire and resulting smoke died down. Once Luke couldn’t see anymore bandits they climbed down the tree, with Linus pushing out part of the wall and dropping it across the moat. Picking their way over the still smoldering moat all they saw were bodies, mostly with arrows sprouting from them but plenty that Linus knew were due to him and his [Mana Blades]. Luke quickly scouted the area before giving the all clear.

As soon as he did Linus rushed away from their makeshift fort and threw up in the bushes, heaving until his stomach was empty. Luke gave him space while the ever dependable Archie arrived to comfort him, offering a handkerchief from who knows where and doing a quick [Cleanse] while straightening out his clothes.

“Thanks Archie.”

“Of course sir.” He replied as he gently patted the noble on the back.

Mana Blades has increased (4/20). Mana Blades has increased (5/20). Growth has increased (19/20). Mana Blades has increased (6/20). Status Name: Linus Class Slots: 7/7 Tiers: Top - 2, Total - 11 Classes and Skills Gardener (Tier 2) Plant Mage (Tier 2) Life Mage (Tier 2) Plant Lore (18/20) Growth (19/20) Heal (6/20) Precision Pruning (15/20) Enrich (11/20) Invigorate (11/20) Germination (4/20) Mana Manipulation (11/20) Minor Regeneration (7/20) Improved Yield (12/20) Mutation (4/20) Arcane Rogue (Tier 2) Noble Progeny Amateur Alchemist Stealth (9/20) Leadership (7/10) Extract (9/10) Sneak Attack (7/20) Concentrate (5/10) Mana Blades (6/20) Apprentice Blood Mage Blood State (4/10) Recovery Coma (1/10) Non-Class Skills Persuasion (5/5) Writing (2/5) Repartee (5/5) Mental Resistance (5/5) Analyze (5/5) Arcane Lore (5/5) Inebriation (5/5) Increase Potency (4/5) Basic Earth Manipulation (5/5)