Sly pulled himself up and groaned in pain as he stretched his back and arms “Never doing that again” he stated.

“What the hell happened?” Kyle glanced back at the dwarf Sly was just talking to, a steaming war-hammer lay by his feet.

“Told ya son, ya class can only use bladed weapons. That is what happens when ya try to wield something else, ya mana enters the weapon and ya lose control over it because the weapon isn’t the right form” the dwarf explained as he picked up the hammer.

“Fuck it then, back to my old weaponry” Sly cursed as he walked back to the dwarf “Got suggestions for throwing blades?” he shouted back.

“Him? Daggers and knives? I don’t see that, at all” Karnage chuckled as she stepped by Kyle.

“What do you mean by that?” Kyle turned to see the dwarf coming back with two leather bags over his back.

“With his fuse? Dark and stealthy? With his height and body build? Daggers and knives? I just don’t see it” she explained while glancing over at Kyle.

Kyle shrugged as he glanced back at her “That’s the point, you don’t expect him to be” he smiled “Trust me, you don’t want to underestimate him. He doesn’t call himself sly without reason”.

Karnage blinked twice before glancing away “A-Alright…”.

“I got everything right here friend” the dwarf exclaimed as he walked by and set the bags down “Now this will take me a couple even with my magic, make yourself comfy or come back later?”.

Kyle nodded “Do you know any store that sells magical accessories or something of the sort?” he asked the dwarf who was unpacking materials from the bags.

“Yeah you talking about Kayle’s trinkets, store be down the street to the left. You’ll find it in the corner across” the dwarf explained while counting black metal bars.

“Alright I’ll be back in a bit then” Kyle stepped away from the dwarf “Yo Sly I’m headed to buy some accessories, meet you back here” he declared.

Sly nodded back as he inspected different blades.

“Huh? Hey wait up!” Karnage shouted as she caught up with him.

“Best you stay with Sly, his sense of direction…well…not the best…” Kyle stated as he continued to walk.

“Meh” Karnage shrugged “Not my problem”.

Kyle almost tripped (“What’s she plotting…”) he thought to himself as he glanced at her.

“Watch your step, still getting used to your body?” she asked slightly worried.

“I’m fine and what do you mean?” he frowned at her statement (“I never had any problems with movement…”).

“Well you know…movement in general felt strange at first, like I knew this wasn’t my body. When I fight is when I mostly noticed it, the difference from my real body. It’s like…Like I don’t know how to move but my body moves anyway, I know how I want to move but not how to do it…” she explained while glancing away.

Kyle stopped moving “I see…” he looked down at his hands as he opened them wide (“These aren’t our bodies…they know how to move…created to fight…but we…we don’t…”).

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked after she herself stopped.

“Yeah I’m good, just realised something” he continued to walk “These bodies aren’t ours but we have little problem controlling them, we never really fought or had combat training but we can move like its second nature”.

She walked beside him “Yeah I know it’s strange, this isn’t a game…it never was so…how?” she crossed her arms.

“I have a guess but you won’t like it…” he sighed “She…Lilliana created our bodies, these bodies. She made them so we can fight, survive this world but…” he raised his right arm and encased it with blue slime “When I use a skill it always happens the same, I can’t control on which body part but I know where specifically it'll occur. Just like a game animation, the combat isn’t fluid but set. The system doesn’t affect us anymore but what if…this reality itself was its own system?” his expression darkened.

“So we’re bound to those movements?...Isn’t that…you know a weakness?” she stared up at the sky in thought.

“I think that’s the point” he responded grimly “She created these bodies powerful but flawed, how else would she expect us to…” suddenly his expression changed as he began to laugh.

Karnage looked at him in shock “Kyllix? What’s…so funny?” she asked, her expression worried.

Kyle held onto his face with one hand “Because! It makes sense! It’s her ploy!” he continued to laugh less loudly “She wants us to get ahead of ourselves, feel powerful and fight back so she can win by abusing the flawed weapons she gave us.” He let go of his face and clenched his fist.

“But why? I’ve been wondering why she even made us strong…why go through all this trouble if she could have just made us weak and caged us up? She wants us as hostages right?” She reasoned.

Kyle shook his head “No, she wants us to think that we’re her hostages no matter how free we feel. To do that she needs to break us, defeat us unquestionably. I need more information…why does she need us? What is this object she wants? Who took it and why? Hopefully all these can be answered at the capital” he sighed in annoyance.

They walked a bit more before reaching the store “There it is” Karnage pointed it out.

“Hopefully they have what I need” Kyle mused.

The store looked like any average jewellery store except the large floating sign up front with ‘Kayle’s Trinkets’ written on it.

“Let’s head in then” he opened the wooden door and a bell rang.

“Come on in come on in! Welcome to Kayle’s Trinkets!”

The store was full with wooden stands sealed with glass panes, jewellery of all kinds inside. To the left of the store was a small desk made of the same cherry wood as the stands and floor, the voice’s owner sat on a chair behind it. A female Dark Elf with short green hair and red eyes smiled at them as they walked in “Hi I’m Kayle, how may I help you?” she asked.

“I’m looking to fully equip myself with magical accessories, I heard this was the place to come by” Kyle answered as he eyed the dozens of accessories the woman wore, three necklaces along an amulet, a ring on each finger, two earrings per ear and three bracelets. Each accessory she wore held it’s own strange magical aura and flickering gems and jewels.

“What exactly might you be looking for adventurer? I can suggest a set if you don’t exactly know? A good balance of magical power, mana regeneration, cast time and cooldown is required for all mages” she explained while still beaming a smile.

Karnage began looking around the store as Kyle thought Kayle’s offer over, he looked over his current skills. “No actually I need each piece to give me maximum mana and if you have mana cost reduction” he closed his windows and answered.

Kayle’s smile faltered slightly “What about magical power, cooldown reduction and cast time?” she asked while giving a surprised expression along an awkward smile.

“I do not require any of that, don’t worry I’m sure about my choice of stats” Kyle explained after sighing (“With frostbite’s ability to devour HP over time I need a lot of sustain, along with a little something I want to test out…”).

Kayle momentarily stared at him in thought before nodding “Very well if that is what you wish for, mana cost reduction…I believe I have some pieces for that…” she said as she stepped out of the desk area and walked around the store taking out accessories, her hand passed straight through the glass as if it wasn’t even there.

“This should be everything” she walked back over to the desk with a handful of accessories “Here we have a sapphire amulet, sapphire rings then a sapphire bracelet for maximum mana along two monster core rings and a monster core bracelet for cost reduction. These are all level 30 unfortunately but they’ll down-level to your level until then”.

Kyle looked through the assortment of accessories, a dark grey chain with a pure white amulet shaped like hand with a blue circular gem in the middle of the palm, four black rings with a blue rectangular gem embedded into a wide part of the ring, a black bracelet looking like an arm band with three blue shard like gems embedded equally around it, two white rings with a abyssal purple gem embedded all around the outside like another ring and lastly a single white bracelet with a similar gem like the two rings.

“How much for all these and do you have any for level 40 and 60?” he continued to eye the accessories as he asked.

She shook her head “23 gold and 10 silver, I’m afraid any higher level accessories require you to be level 90” Kayle stated.

“Alright that will do” he opened his inventory and took out the money “Oh right also” he handed her the coin pouch (“I need to remember to ask that dwarf when I go pick up my gear”) “What do you know about Fairies? Specifically their deaths?” he asked calmly.

Karnage overhearing the conversation shuddered and walked over, she paid close attention while staring at Kyle.

Kayle hummed in thought “Well Fae races are spiritual in nature, their bodies are just containers but require strong magical power and very specific control to create. Fae birth happens rarely and is usually considered a blessing by a deity, when a Fae dies it is usually mourned by it’s peers for years. Specifically what happens? Their spirits are released, memories lost and they become a sprite. Sprites are mischievous ethereal beings that enjoy messing with explorers, their power is limited but they can occasionally appear physical”.

Kyle rubbed his chin in thought “So their bodies are completely lost on death? So are their memories?”.

Kayle hummed some more “Well not entirely, not immediately. Their memories are retained for some time until they slowly lose them, the shorter the Fae lived for the slower they disappear as they have less memories to treasure so they hold onto them more strongly. As for their bodies…it immediately dissipates into mana and is absorbed by whatever is closest”.

Kyle stared her straight in the eyes making her face twitch “What about companion Fae? Is there a difference?”.

Suddenly Kayle stood up from her chair as realisation took over, she covers her mouth as her eyes began to tear up “You’ve…lost your companion haven’t you?” she asked quietly.

“I have” Kyle responds frowning at her reaction.

“I’m so sorry…” she awkwardly sits back down while crossing her arms “Companion Fae remain bound to their contractor, it is said that once they lose their memories they haunt them for eternity due to the strong connection between them preventing the Sprite from going away. You cannot communicate with them, you cannot see them and you cannot bring them back…I’m sorry” she stares down at her legs distraught.

Kyle shakes his head “I heard a deity can create a body for them, what about that?”

Kayle looks up at him her eyes widening “Gods won’t help you child, they take the death of a companion Fae as a failure by their master. You’ll have better odds of being destroyed on the spot for asking one such a thing.”

Kyle doesn’t move as he continues to show little emotion “So a deity is required why exactly? For the amount of mana needed or the accuracy and control?” he asks as he puts on the accessories.

Kayle glances at the accessories realising his plot “The latter…child you won’t be able to bring them back on your own…mortals can never have the mastery and control to create sentient life from scratch even if the soul is ready unless we’re talking about…No nevermind…” she glances away.

Kyle looks up at her after finishing putting everything one “Necromancy? I don’t need a mindless soldier, I want her back as she was. Also” he walked over to the exit “I never said anything about creating the body from scratch” he walked out of the store.

Karnage flinched and waved at Kayle “Oh..Um..thank you!” she left after him.

Kyle studied his current maximum mana and a new stat he unlocked (“380 maximum mana and 20% mana cost reduction”) he thought as he studied his skills once again (“I guess I won’t have to ask the dwarf after all…I only need one last thing”).

“Uhh, Kyllix?” Karnage stepped in front of him shyly, her arms behind her back with fingers tied up together.

He glanced at her “What is it?” he asked while inspecting his character page.

“Why are you trying so hard to bring your companion back if she’s lost? Can’t you just..” she trailed off unable to finish her sentence.

Kyle smirked “Let it go? Give up? Move on?” he chuckled coldly “I don’t give up that easily, I knew through my knowledge of fantasy lore that generally Fae races have a mostly sentient spiritual stage so I made plans. I only need one last thing now and I’ll be able to give it a try” he explained while closing his windows and walking away.

Karnage caught up with him “Plan? What thing?” she was surprised by how collected he seemed, she walked by him.

“Her memories aren’t lost yet, I don’t need to create a new body if I can recreate it through them. Now I just need to learn necromancy” he stated calmly.

Karnage’s eyes widened “But…back there…you-”

Kyle cut her off “I know what I said, I won’t be using necromancy to bring her back. Not all the way. Necromancy won’t work on Fae anyway as there is no remains to make use of, no I only need to learn a specific step in it” He continued to explain.

Karnage calmed down “What step?” she asked still worried.

Kyle grinned “What do you need to use necromancy? Mana, remains and a soul. I need the ability to grab hold of a soul and move it, to do that I need to be able to detect that soul first and if I can detect that soul I can detect the connections with it. Through that I go to the next step, widening that connection. I already have a plan for that ready also, the next step is possible the most difficult one. Have you heard of group casting?” he glanced her way.

Karnage was staring at him in amazement “Y-Yeah I did…” she responded.

“I plan to group cast with her, using her memories of her body and mine we’ll recreate it together. I don’t know how much mana I’ll need and I also don’t know if it’s even possible but…It’s worth a try at the very least.” He continued to smile as he glanced around the street.

Karnage continued to stare in amazement (“He’s…terrifying…”) she thought to herself, a small curve in her lips indicating a supressed smile.

“Do you know of any dark magic stores around here?” he asked suddenly.

She jumped in surprise but he didn’t react as he continued to glance around “No I don’t, why didn’t you ask the jewellery store?”

Kyle shrugged “From her reaction necromancy doesn’t sit right with her, that’s a headache of a conversation I’d rather avoid.”

Karnage suddenly started laughing “Lazy ass” she joked.

He grimaced “Whatever” he responded.

Suddenly a loud crash echoed through the streets as the ground beneath them rumbled, Kyle followed the sound with his eyes. He saw no smoke or clouds of dust in the sky but continued to stare. The sound of ringing bells filled his ears as suddenly all the town folk began to hurry away their expressions downcast and afraid.

Kyle stopped a Wood Elf passing by “What’s going on?” he asked the man.

The Elf was agitated “It’s the alarm! Helix has fallen!” he got out of Kyle’s hold and rushed away.

Karnage glanced around “Alarm? What’s Helix?!”

Kyle turned to stare back over the buildings as another rumble echoed through “No..it’s too early…Run!” he shouted and dashed away at full speed.

Karnage almost immediately followed, two short swords appearing sheathed on her belt “What’s going on!?” she shouted back.

“The demons are here! It’s too damn early but they’re here!” he ran at full speed and almost momentarily after Kurt the direwolf came into view, Sly wearing full light grey leather armour and a white cloak and hood sitting on top.

“Kyll! Is it them!?” he asked with a grimace.

Kyle didn’t stop by “Probably!” he shouted while rushing into the store and to the dwarf “Is it ready!? Give it to me!” he spoke with a commanding tone.

The dwarf flinched “Y-Yeah it’s all here” he gestured towards two black boxes about a meter and a half in volume and a stack of cloth and leather armour “Just equip it with thought friend!” the dwarf stated before leaving his post and walking out into the street with the others.

Kyle put the two boxes into his inventory before doing just that, the armour simply appeared on him in a blink of an eye.

He turned around fully geared, his accessories gleaming with either a blue or black aura. He wore snow white clothing made of a thin cloth like material while patches of light grey chainmail were sown into the chest, back, arms and legs. A white hood covered his head while a cloak fluttered behind him, two long triangles of cloth falling down his back from the hard leather shoulder pads giving way for his fox tail.

Sly and Karnage stared back at him as he stretched his arm back “They’re early but I guess we have no choice, what’s our course of action Sly?”

Sly grinned from ear to ear “That damn wall is down somehow, knowing Birse he’ll meet them out in the forest. We’ll head to the east gate, regroup with anybody there and head out. What we have will have to do, race you there! Kurt!” the direwolf spun around and dashed away at full speed, it’s paws cracking the pavement beneath it as it ran huffing.

“You heard him” Kyle stated as he followed at full speed while occasionally using surge to keep up, he glanced back to see Karnage encased in a crimson aura leaping after them.

They all rushed towards the east gate, Kurt ways ahead but not enough to lose sight of. Town folk rushed past them, the whole street did like a blur. Suddenly an ear piercing roar made the ground shudder as a depressing aura washed over them momentarily, those that were hurrying suddenly broke out into a full sprint, dropping whatever belongings they held.

“Kyll!” Skill appeared behind them running at full speed as a green aura blurred behind him “Orders! Run ahead! Do whatever we can to slow them down! Birse regrouping!” he dashed past catching up to the direwolf, Kyle noticed Sly nodding as Skill kept up his pace with him.

They dashed past the east gate checkpoint as guards stared out into the forest, the stench of fear falls upon Kyle’s heightened senses. He grimaced “That’s what peace does to you” he mused.

“Did you say something?” Karnage asked having caught up with him.

“Nothing, keep moving!” he responded while steadying his pace.

---

IL’E, Forest between Frosthold and Helix

Wearing white leather and cloak the tiger beast-woman scout rushed up one of the trees through quick and agile leaps, she reached the top and held onto the tree while staring at the monstrosity approaching.

Three times the height of the town walls worth of demonic muscle, leathery black hide with the occasional fang like protrusion. Mildly humanoid the hunched over demon slowly made it’s way through the stomping of trees, it’s large feet with only two short claws felt nothing as they crushed the forest. The demon roared loudly, it’s two mouths lined with multiple sets of jagged fangs as it’s two heads glanced around. Plain black face with four gleaming red eyes per head, dozens of long black horns for hair curving back, three long thick tails ending with a sharp crimson blade each and two gigantic arms thicker than it’s own torso being dragged along.

She trembled in fear as she climbed back down the tree, sweating profusely the scout rushed towards the town to join in It’s defence.

Suddenly four blurs rushed past her making her immediately stop, she glanced back and watched the four silhouettes disappear, the forest losing light through the faltering suns as night approached.

She glanced between the town’s direction and the passer’s by direction, (“Back to town and prepare or save some mad fools from suicide?”) She thought to herself. She grimaced (“Defend the many…”) clenching her fists she continued to steadily run towards the town, without looking back she cursed the gods as she abandoned the four.

She suddenly ducked out of the way only moments away from town, her speed surpassed most of her colleagues. “Out of the way moran!” Dozens of other adventurers dashed by her until she was surrounded by hundreds of them, an army rushing through the forest. She glanced around in confusion before biting her lip and continuing to run, more and more adventurers rushed past her.

Suddenly she stopped again “Sir?” she asked in further confusion as the Guard Captain stood in front of her riding his sabretooth mount along with the rest of the guards marching behind him.

“Scout report” Jonathan commanded as he passed by the scout.

She shook herself out of her daze and jogged steadily beside him “Black Ram Demon Sir! It smashed through Helix along two others which died from the defence! The Helix guard is guarding the gap Sir! They cannot assist us!” she quickly reported.

Jonathan grimaced “Join officer Rashmon to the left flank, take orders from him scout!” he shouted before beginning to bark orders “Scout platoons disperse! Mages set up auras! Men!” a long pearly white spear appeared in his right hand while a similar shield appeared in his left “Steel yourselves!”. The guards roared as they charged forward, their sabretooth tigers making quick work of the forest around them.

---

Sly roared out orders “Focus on the legs!” he shouted as he pulled out a long curved dagger per hand, he twirled them into a backhand hold and chanted “Like the beast I am, from my fangs to my claws. Like the serpent I am, from my eyes to my blood. War trance!” black patches of scales grew up from his neck stopping at the head as a violet aura surrounded him.

Skill’s green aura engulfed his whole body as he pulled out two knives and climbed up a tree with them.

Karnage opened her arms wide behind her as she also chanted “Sound of battle fill my ears, move my body and soul! Battle cry!” she screamed out while blushing and grimacing.

Kyle took a deep breath as his hands and feet turned into fangs, his gloves and boots morphing to compensate. Again his tail gained a blueish tinge at the end as he summoned forth Beast’s agility’s active. He opened his claws wide as blue slime engulfed his both his arms, the slime changed and dragged back as it froze over into five long claw like curved blades.

The demon’s left leg crashed down into the forest a couple dozen meters away from where Skill positioned himself, he nocked an arrow and took aim before chanting “Your hide is strong but hides nothing, your scales tough but invisible! Show Weakness!” he released the arrow as a crimson aura engulfed it’s tip. The arrow sailed over the forest and lodged itself into the demon’s leg, half it’s jagged tip digging into the hide.

The demon felt no pain but through the debuff it gained both heads glanced down at Skill’s location, it roared in defiance.

Skill covered his face as the shower of saliva rained down on him “Bleh! Ugly bastard spat on me!” he declared in frustration, he nocked another arrow “Wyvern’s tail, eagle’s eye! Snipe!” he released and the arrow sailed three times as fast as the last. It dug into the demon’s hide separating it into a wound twice as thick as the arrowhead, green blood leaked out the wound and began streaking down it’s leg.

The demon’s other leg landed down and it began to raise the wounded one, the wound barely visible through it’s sheer size.

Kurt leaped up towards the leg as Sly jumped off him and slashed it a couple dozen times before stabbing in and holding on, he roared out grinning as he pulled down the daggers with all his might. Slowly but surely the hide began to be cut and the wounds grew longer. Suddenly Sly’s aura morphed and formed a large claw one third the thickness of the leg itself, the ethereal claw lunged at the leg and began cutting down at the same pace as Sly.

Karnage leaped up to a tree and back off it as the leg rose up, she twirled mid air with swords slashing wildly around her. Like a disc of blades she slashed up the demon’s leg before spinning the opposite direction and slashing downwards. Her attacks cutting through the hide but only mildly wounding it. She grabbed onto a tree as she fell and rushed down to the ground.

Kyle had climbed up a tree beneath the colossal demon, his legs encased in frozen slime as two spheres of the same substance converged on themselves beneath his feet. He smirked as the demon’s leg approached directly beneath him, the spheres exploded with great force and pushed him upwards as he activated surge.

He shot upwards directly towards the bottom of the demon’s leg as more and more arrows from skill dug into it’s flesh at the same height Sly was cutting down from. He hit the leg claws first as they shattered the moment he slashed at the hide, shards of frozen slime embedded themselves in as the hide around them froze over. He grimaced as he fell back to the ground, Kurt leaped up and he slammed into the direwolf’s back.

“Don’t follow the leg! Run ahead! Stop when I tell you!” Kyle shouted as he stared back at what was visible of the demon form below. Kurt howled and dashed ahead as the snow crunched beneath his powerful legs. Kyle Inspected the demon.

{Elite} Black Ram Demon (First Dezol Legion) Level ???

Kyle cursed under his breath “Here! Stop!” he ordered the beast as it spun around misplacing tons of snow as it stopped itself, he jumped off and ran back a couple meters before stopping.

“Kyllix!” Karnage rushed towards him “Move it’s going to stomp you!” she screamed with an agitated tone.

Kyle smiled “That’s the point” he raised both arms as he began to chant “Aberration with me respond! Release your archaic power! Core Overload!” he crouched down as a thick blue aura engulfed him and the surrounding forest, he slammed down his hands as blue slime exploded from his palms. The rush of slime grew larger and larger as it towered above him six times over, it completely froze over as a darker sphere of ice was momentarily visible within before the ice darkened and compressed.

Kyle stood up and glanced at the large spike of ice before rushing over to Kurt, “Take me to Sly quick!” he shouted. The direwolf dashed forward and climbed up the nearest tree, it held onto some branches at the top momentarily before leaping towards the descending foot. Kyle leaped off and used surge twice to reach Sly, he grabbed onto Sly’s legs.

“What the fuck?” Sly cursed as he glanced down, “Kyll?” he pulled him up after embedding both daggers into the hide by the wound he cut.

Kyle grabbed onto one dagger hilt “Bash down it’s leg to the ground on my signal!” he shouted while pointing at the forest ahead.

Sly laughed madly “On it!”, pulling out a second dagger he shoved it into the demon’s hide by his own then pulled out a third “Hold on!” he shouted back as he made his way to the front of the leg, stab by stab.

Kyle grabbed hold onto the second dagger and held on as he watched, glancing between Sly and where he left the spike. “Almost there…come on…come on Sly…” he watched anxiously.

“I’m almost ready!” Sly shouted from out of sight, eight daggers stabbed into the demon’s hide in a rectangular shape. He held on upside down with eyes closed, one hilt per hand to hold on and three per foot. His arms fully open below him as he pushed himself into a crouch, he began casting “Beings of spirit and sense! Lend me your curse! Aurei Frenzy!” he shouted as his violet aura grew thicker and split into two clawed arms. The ethereal arms grabbed hold of the demon’s leg down below him “Ready!” he shouted.

Kyle showed no relief as he watched patiently, the leg nearing the spot. Only moments after he shouted as loud as he could muster “NOW!”.

Sly pushed downwards as his arms of violet ethereal aura pulled, the second he shot downwards the arms lost their form and morphed into a single hand in front of him. The ethereal hand grabbed hold of the twice as large foot as it clawed into the hide, Sly pulled out another set of daggers and dug them in the moment he landed.

The force of the attack along with the demon’s movement at that moment sent the foot crashing down like a boulder, the spike of ice’s tip shattered as it hit the demon’s heel but the rest dug in.

The demon roared out a screech from the pain as it glanced downwards.

Kyle smiled from ear to ear “Fracture” with one word the skill activated.