“Um, Vincent? You should really tell us before the fight.” Cassandra holds up a hand, calling out to him as he walks away.

He turns around, visibly upset. “Can’t you just let me have this? Lucas gets to be cool all the time!”

“What? Me? What do you mean by that?”

“You’re like, our defacto leader and no one has questioned that. And it’s clear you have higher stats than all of us just by the few fights I’ve seen you in. And you get to run around cloaked in lightning. I just wanted my cool moment…” He sulks.

“...I understand the want, but if you have a… trump card, excuse the pun, we should probably know.”

Vincent looks at me with mild surprise. “Puns can cause damage?!”

“Yes. And we’re really getting off topic here. Let's move on and- I mean, could we please learn about whatever your new capabilities are and move on with this?” Cassandra adjusts her hat, clearly feeling awkward about rephrasing herself.

‘I bet I know what her trial was about…’

Vincent dusts off his robe, frowning at the torn cloth on the sleeve. “Fine. You see, my trial related a bit to my own senses of… self-denial. I’d rather not get into it as it’s a bit personal, but suffice to say, I’m not good at focusing on the negatives. So you see…”

He explains what he gained from all of this to us and the group nods along.

“Oh, so that’s how you canceled out the curse. Nice. I can see that being really helpful.”

“Yeah, there’s a cooldown and I’m not sure how effective it’ll be on a dragon, but still, it’s a great new Skill.” Vincent shrugs.

“I can workshop it with you on the walk to the boss door- if you’d like, of course.” Cassandra nods to him.

“It would be good to figure out some strategies.”

As the two walk off, I clear my throat and address the whole group. “It’s time for us to get moving, but there’s something important I think we all need to try first. I’ve been thinking about it, and that dragon froze me like that.” I snap my fingers for emphasis.

“When I fought that ice bird thing, my aura Skill, Storm’s Rage, was able to counter some of the effects of the cold, or at least protect me from it. Does anyone here have an aura Skill already?”

Colt, Cassandra, and Pierce raise their hands.

“Colt, you do? Since when?”

“Pasivier taught me how to get one. I can actually give a pretty decent explanation for it if you want.”

“Uh, that might be nice, I was gonna improv it otherwise.” I laugh and scratch the back of my head as everyone stares at me.

“...Right. Well, everyone, except for Lucas, Cassandra, and Pierce, an aura Skill is basically a manifestation of your will given a sort of metaphysical form. It’s easiest to acquire one that relates to one of your Talents. Should be easier if the Talent is higher level.

“Basically, visualize what you’d imagine your aura to be like in relation to your Talent then empower it with your will. I’m sure all of you know how focusing heavily on your Skills can empower them further. Same principle here, just focus on the essence of your Talent.

“You’ve all seen Lucas’. He’s an Anchorist, so his is a storm of wind and water. Not all aura Skills have that sort of elemental component to them, but it’s not wrong to have or not have one. Mine, for instance, is just a manifestation of my Wild Magick. Like so.”

The air ripples slightly as a shimmer of grassy green energy envelops Colt. Various particles of color run through the mostly green aura. The flow is quite erratic with small spikes of energy jutting out at random. With a crackle, the aura lashes out, slashing a large gash into the icy ground.

“Mine relates between my race, Fae, and my Mage Talent. If I did that on some earth, plants would probably start growing in the crack I made. Everyone’s aura is different and as far as I know, you can even have multiple, though only one can be active at a time.” The pulses of energy wane and the aura flickers out from around Colt.

Everyone stares at the casual destruction Colt accomplished without even moving a finger and back to him.

“The basic idea is you need to manifest your will against the world. The easiest way seems to be ‘short-cutting’ it through your Talents or other traits about you. Pasivier used his aura Skill on me at a sort of ‘low-burn’ so that I could learn to fight back with my own will.”

Pierce raises a hand. “I can show some people as well. Mine is more… nuanced than Colt’s.” A subtle pulse of mana is the only indication of Pierce’s aura activating.

“Mine is called Trueshot Encouragement. It improves the accuracy of those I focus it on immensely. It comes from my Archery Instructor Talent. I can also attack with it like I’ve seen Lucas and Colt do.” He strikes the ground with his aura, leaving a considerably smaller mark than Colt.

“I have a buff-type aura too. It’s called Sweetshare and lets me share the effects of whatever candy I’m currently eating. It splits the effectiveness too much to be useful if I cover too many people at once though. Caleb, I shared the effects of a berserker chew with you during the fight with those yetis, I’m sure you noticed the sudden improvement in strength.”

“Oh, I just thought I had a breakthrough or something…” He chuckles. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s practice while we walk.”

Taking his lead, we all exit the icy cavern and move through yet another lengthy hall. From the dragon’s speech, we all assume that was the final room, but this walk seems long regardless.

Everyone with an aura Skill, including myself, splits off and instructs further on how these Skills work. I help out Becky, Charlie, and Caleb specifically as they’re all melee fighters like me so there should be the most carry-over.

Early on, I find that following Colt’s suggestion of a “low-burn” aura use on someone actually does help them unlock their own aura Skill as they have to fight back with their own will against it. This process happens easily enough and I help all three of them discover their auras.

Becky’s aura Skill comes from her Fashionista Talent once she gains it, interestingly enough. It enhances her movement speed and gives a small passive charm effect not unlike my own Disarming Presence Perk. Its name is Stylish Strut.

Caleb gains the longest Skill name I’ve ever heard, making me glad that silent casting is possible. Its name is If You Can’t Take The Heat, Stay Out Of The Kitchen. It’s similar to my own aura in that it’s an elemental aura, except it just heavily heats up the air around him progressively hotter the longer it’s up.

It’s quite the fortunate aura to acquire as we’re about to fight an ice dragon and this seems like a direct counter to the cold.

Charlie’s aura Skill takes longer for him to figure out, but he acquires Heroic Inspiration. His is another buff-type aura which increases the bravery and physical strength of those affected by it. It seems to pass on some level of his Cartoon Body as well, increasing our resistance to physical injuries.

As we walk along, I hear other people in our group call out that they’ve gained an aura Skill. Vincent’s aura changes with his active cards but lets him affect multiple people similar to Cassandra’s Sweetshare.

Kayla’s aura is more combat oriented, turning into blades of razor-sharp fire at her command. Maria’s aura manifests in strings rather than an outright covering of her body. It’s quite strong at binding and she shapes it to cover herself anyway.

Daniel’s aura shifts between a malleable form that’s good for attacking and a hardened form that lowers his mobility but provides a strong defensive bonus.

Lastly, Erika’s aura turns out to be, unsurprisingly, a tracking-based one. It enhances her senses when active and it has a distance element to it as well as she can use plants as a sort of “range-extender” for the aura to spread her senses through plant life.

Using this, combined with her Perk Nature’s Whispers, should allow her some amazing tracking abilities as she can guide her senses to whatever plant around her detects something.

Colt elects to create her a plant network during the fight if he can.

Everyone seems cheerier with a fancy new Skill under their belt, especially Erika. Moving to walk next to her, I smile.

“You look happier. I don’t wanna be rude or anything, but you seemed pretty frustrated while we’ve been in the dungeon proper. I get it that your scouting abilities are really plant-based, but you’ve still been a great help in other ways, like identifying traps.”

She grins. “Yeah, I wasn’t too happy with myself before. I felt useless, but now I’ve got this cool new aura Skill. It helps that my trial made me realize some things.”

“Oh? I don’t want to pry but you have me curious.”

“...Well, I really would like to tell someone, so okay.” She frowns slightly, clearly thinking back to the beginning of her trial. “Without getting into the details too heavily, my trial was about me learning to be content and fulfilled in my life.

“The reason I became a park ranger before The Construct wasn’t because I wanted to be one. It was the only job I could find that was hiring for someone with a degree in botany. The Park Ranger Talent only made that feel more permanent.” She blushes.

“I felt… directionless. My trial helped me realize everything I have now, and how things have worked out for me in the end. I’m in a group full of people working hard to improve the lives of others. What could be greater than that?” Her face is beaming now.

“That’s great that you came to this realization, I’m happy for you Eri-”

“We reached the door!” Caleb calls out to everyone.

Cold sweat builds at my low back as all the nerves I’ve been pushing off make their return.

“I’ve gotta get to the front now, Erika. It’s great that you’re feeling better though.”

“Thanks.” She smiles once again and waves me off.

I walk to the front of the group and turn to them. “Alright everyone, auras active before we walk into the room. You may want to back up for mine. I’ve been playing around with the Runic Matrix in anticipation for this fight.”

Everyone takes a healthy couple of steps away from me. Double-checking that I properly lowered the range runes, I activate my aura. “Electrifying Storm.”

The air charges with energy and my hairs stand up on end. Wind billows around me as sparks arc in the air a small distance from my body. While I want to use fire for the extra defense against the ice, the damage bonuses from Voltaic Differential seem too good to give up.

“Everyone ready?”

All other auras flare up around everyone. Laying a hand on the door, I shove it open and we move in quickly. We all gasp at the piles of treasure around the room. The gold coins don’t look like Gleams, but they probably have a use regardless.

The dragon is waiting patiently on the other end of the room. I take my chance and Inspect her quickly.

Agent of Restruct: Demetria of Frost and Rime

Traits: Cryomancy, Deep Chill

Description: This sapient ice dragon was once Construct-enhanced but gave up her Fate to Restruct, gaining immense power at the cost of her free will. Her arrogance leads her to challenge her prey and then overpower them with her ice magic and signature trait, Deep Chill. Her Deep Chill makes her ice attacks pervade deep into the body in an instant.

“You guys read it?” Receiving nods, I shift into a battle stance, Argo in hand.

“Argo tingly and ready for battle!” Small sparks of electricity arc to Argo, causing him to chirp in delight.

“A Fae? Now that’s interesting. You all passed your trials. I permit you all to be crushed by me in combat.” Arrogance leaks from Demetria’s voice as she “speaks” to us via telepathy.

‘Lightning Cloak. Circuit Jump. Chart Course.’ These three Skills electrify the area around myself and give me the full layout of the room. Demetria is sitting in front of a large chasm, facing toward us. She rises as she sees further lightning electrify the air around me.

Dashing at her, I feel the charge that must be Voltaic Differential build up inside me. It’s a buzzing sensation that begins to fill my body.

With a crack of thunder, I leap into the air, lightning bursting behind me. Hefting Argo, I coat him in a Galvanizing Wake and swing down with all of my strength. An ice wall appears in front of Demetria and my Chart Course alerts me to three large objects coming in from behind.

I twist in the air, activating a Thunderclap and kicking three massive icicle spears away from myself. A sudden flux of mana is all I feel before the ice wall in front of Demetria collapses. She’s staring at me with the fury of battle in her eyes, mouth agape with a charge of frozen blue energy in the back of her throat.

“Inverse Tarot: Death!” A strong pulse of mana comes from Vincent as he activates his new Skillset, inverse draws. The charge of cold energy in Demetria’s mouth stops short as Vincent’s spell cancels it out.

‘That’ll be on cooldown for a few minutes, gonna need to make the most of this.’

Demetria is caught off guard by the sudden cancellation of her attack, leaving her open. Colt appears above her in a gust of wind. “Earthen Spire!” The rocky ceiling of the cave twists into a sharp point, breaking off and firing down at the icy dragon.

Icy armor coalesces on her skin and the spire shatters on contact. Her underside hits the floor from taking the force but only a small crack appears in her armor.

Caleb runs up next to me, a safe distance from my lightning, and we take advantage of this interruption. Caleb’s cleaver blazes with heat and I see the blurry edges of his aura coating the blade. Both uppercutting, I land a hit with Argo empowered by a Galvanizing Wake.

Caleb’s cleaver stops short in the icy armor on Demetria’s chin. My own hit knocks her head up but that just pisses her off. An icy nova of wind and hail spins around her, knocking us away.

I push back with my aura as I feel a pervading chill try to invade me from the nova. Caleb’s aura expands out, encapsulating us all in comforting warmth. He sweats a bit from the effort and retracts it once the effects of the cold are gone.

Becky dashes in, a blonde blur of speed. “Trim and Style.” Her two scissors I make a cross, cutting through the icy armor with easy while a halo of floating scissors around her cuts across the rest of the armor.

“Becky!” Holding out my arm, she attaches a lock of hair to it and pulls herself away from Demetria just before a claw swipe hits her.

“You all are becoming very bothersome. Just like that golden thing I dispatched. Permafrost Hail.”

Gleaming chunks of ice form in the air above Demetria and fly towards us.

“Witchfire!” A jet of green fire plumes forth from somewhere behind me, melting the hail. “You did what?”

“You heard me, pest. I dispatched the annoying one. She destroyed my egg. My child. She deserved nothing less than death by my frost.” Demetria’s own voice is filled with anger and sorrow.

“You killed my girlfriend!”

Several of us turn our heads in surprise at this comment.

Cassandra pulls out a glowing piece of something and bites down on it. Sheer power emanates from her as tears streak down her face. “Funeral Pyre!”

The same green fire from before forms into a blazing spear above Cassandra’s raised hand. Just the heat from it alone begins to melt the ice in the room. Cassandra’s robes catch fire as well. She screams as she throws the spear.

“Rime Wall.” The spear cleaves through the wall of ice instantly, leaving a melted hole in the center of it. It strikes Demetria, causing her to rear back as some of her blue scales turn a mottled green.

“You will pay for this, witch.”

“I don’t think she will.” My own legs go back into motion, frozen by the moment before. Discharging my Voltaic Differential, I unleash all my pent up electricity. “Crack the Sky!”

My hit booms across the room as I swing sideways and send Demetria skidding back across the floor, leaving claw marks as she tries to steady herself.

Cassandra collapses to the ground, but I see Kayla run over to her so I return my attention to the dragon.

A wall of icicle spears flies from Demetria as she bellows in rage.

“Batten Down!” A shield appears around myself, I’m too far from anyone else to cover for them. It blocks the first few icicles but they just keep coming. The next hit shatters my shield and I’m sent flying back as several icicles stab into me.

“Lucas!” The three kids run over to me, screaming in concern. I try to raise a hand and tell them to stop but my lungs are punctured and my arm is frozen by the spell.

“Begone, tiny pests.” The remaining icicle spears in the air redirect at Charlie, Daniel, and Maria.

“No!” Erika jumps in front of the three of them. “Nature’s Enclosure!” Roots break through the floor, covering the four of them in a ball of wood. From their appearance, I can tell they’re magically generated similar to the fake water Crashing Wake creates.

The wood freezes over and cracks as several spears penetrate deep into it. It breaks apart into pieces of rubble which disintegrate into mana, revealing Erika standing, arms wide in front of the kids, but several spears poke through her body.

A layer of yarn and clay shows Daniel and Maria’s attempts to defend as well, but it wasn’t enough.

‘No!’ I try to yell to them but my lung still won’t work. Someone brings a potion to my lips and I feel someone else yank the spears of ice out of my body. My own wounds restore and I rush over to Erika while the others keep Demetria busy with volleys of spells.

“Erika!” Picking her up from the ground, I try to bring a potion to her lips. Even when I upturn the bottle, a dose won’t fall out. “Erika?”

Finally, I look at her eyes and the placement of the spears. One is directly through her heart and frost spreads from it through her entire chest. Her eyes have lost their light.

“No. No. No!” Sprinting back towards Demetria, my chest fills with rage. Argo hums with power as mana floods into him. A Lightning Cloak snaps around me, crackling with power.

“Frozen Wingbeat.” Gusts of frozen wind blow all of us back as Demetria laughs. “How does it feel to lose another of your own? It hurts, doesn’t it?” Her voice reflects her vengeful anger.

“Another? Looks like you missed one!” An angry voice calls out from the chasm as an explosion of rainbow light bursts forth from it. Mana swells as a radiant figure leaps out of the hole in the earth. “Shining Breath!”

Adreanell’s voice calls forth and her mouth opens, firing a beam of pure, white light out. The beam punches through Demetria’s body, coming out the other side. “Flash Orb!” A sphere of light gathers above Adreanell’s outstretched hands and she throws it at Demetria.

It explodes on contact, blasting her backward in a flash of blinding light.

Everyone else who isn’t downed by ice attacks breaks from their shock and capitalizes on the distraction. Colt fires volleys of stone and the cavern rumbles as he practically brings down the ceiling on Demetria.

I empower Argo with a Decimating Impact, forgoing any more Voltaic Differential buildup, as Caleb’s own cleaver blazes white-hot. We smash down together on the disabled Demetria. My own hit lands with a guttural crunch as I feel her bones break beneath my hit. Caleb’s hit cleaves deep into her shoulder.

Molten glass spikes stab up from under the dragon, lancing into her body. She tries to stand up.

“Major Arcana: The Devil! Inverse Tarot: The Stars!” Red energy coalesces around her, binding her body down once more. Shimmering grey energy soaks into her, draining her power.

“Shockwave Chord!” Pierce fires an arrow of sound that smashes into Demetria’s head, shredding away scale and flesh.

“Twinblade Flourish!” Becky appears above the dragon’s neck and in a flash of metal, beheads the beast. Her Pale Fae’s Maw soaks up some of the draconic blood, changing the hue from light green to a pale teal.

A silence overtakes everyone as we take in the gravity of the situation. Few cheers call out, however, with Erika’s demise hanging over our heads.

Looking over to Adreanell, my eyes widen in shock. “Holy shit.”