(Callum)

Callum carried May around yet another identical corner. It made no sense how the moderately sized hall could house such a huge maze in its halls. Either there was some spacial manipulation going on, or he was going in circles.

May groaned beside him, and he looked at her limp expressions. He cursed their luck for the hundredth time so far, just trying to find a goddamn door out of this room. He knew that if he could get into any of the neighbouring rooms, he could get back to the entrance hall, and wait for the others to get back.

Her head was still bleeding, his novice attempt at bandaging it with a strip of his shirt was doing little to help, and the head torch she had been wearing kept slipping off from the blood. He just kept it in his pocket after the third time.

Her status effect of stunned had just run out, but it still said she had confusion for another 20 or so minutes and a concussion for another hour.

He could get them through this. He had to, otherwise, they would die. And he would never let May die.

He just had to find a door before he found the fire monster. He had been turned around helplessly when the walls cut the group apart, so he didn't even know where he was heading.

He turned another corner, the darkest unilluminated parts of the walls suddenly visible. He saw that the grey walls were reflecting a slight orange light. The walls got lighter as he watched, the source must be moving. Callum held his breath in anticipation. If it was the others, they could help heal May, or at least carry her while they got out of the maze. Seriously. He may have prided himself on his moderately higher strength stat, but May was still had to carry after a while.

He almost ran around the corner but stopped himself as he heard a lack of steps. There was no sound at all. He turned off his torch and instantly tried to think more stealthy thoughts.

He laid May down gently and looked around the corner, slowly revealing more of the hallway.

The hallway was lit up by a small ball of red crystal surrounded by an aura of hot orange light. The air around it rippled as the extreme heat was displaced.

It hung suspended in the air about a meter and a half up. Callum analysed It.

Lesser Fire Sprite:

Level: 15

Hp: 24/24

Mp: 145/150

Shit.

Callum couldn't fight this thing. The huge mana store it had was being demonstrated by its aura of heat. Callum didn't want to put his hand anywhere near that aura.

His martial arts wouldn't help him in the slightest. How could he hurt his opponent if he couldn't touch it?

If he had a weapon, he could have thrown It, but even then, it was an abysmally small target.

He looked at Mays satchel. She would be pissed he opened it without her permission, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

He opened her satchel, and her half-conscious mind reacted. She quietly called out in outrage. Callum clamped his hand over her mouth, but it was too late. The light was growing stronger around the corner, and he had seconds to do something.

Her satchel was full of empty Pyrex tubes and beakers. Where had all the explosives gone? She had plenty left over when they left the college.

Callum looked over at the branch in the path the fire sprite had come from. The sprite was just reaching the corner. If it had any ranged capabilities beyond its aura, his time was up. He quickly shut the satchel and picked her up in a less than graceful fireman's lift. He ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction, having to sidestep rapidly if the path became too thin.

"May. May! I need you to concentrate. For just a second."

He got a low grumble as his reply. But he took it as confirmation of her co-operation.

"I need you to make something cold. Dry Ice, liquid nitrogen, hell. Even normal ice might do it. Whatever it is, I need you to coat my hand in it."

She responded with a dissatisfied grunt, but he still grabbed one of her hanging hands with one of his own.

"Please. I know it's going to hurt, but we have no choice."

May tightened her grip on his hand, and he looked back for a second to see that the fire sprite was struggling to keep up, but was still close, and was closely followed by another.

May weakly pushed Callum's hand into a fist, and he felt the temperature around his hand drop quickly. The temperature rapidly became unbearable, and he tried to focus more on his running to block out the pain.

Suddenly, a crack of pain erupted over his fist, and his step faltered. He tried to twist in mid-air so he took most of the fall, but May still moaned in pain when they landed.

Callum got up quickly, examining the glove may have put around his hand. His entire hand and part of his wrist was coated in normal Ice, but the front was misting up enough that he recognised it as dry ice.

Your limb has been exposed to extreme cold. Mobility has decreased by 10% and frosted effect Will cause 1 damage per second until limb is no longer exposed to dangerous cold.

Frosted: (--:--)

Callum appreciated the effort she had put in, despite the burning cold he felt in his fist.

"Thanks, May."

He grimaced.

He got a weak moan in return that was in all likelihood from residual pain. But she could rest significantly easier now. He could defend her properly.

Callum stood in a ready stance in front of her, waiting just next to a corner.

Any second, the fire sprite would come around the corner, but he would be ready. In pain, but ready.

He spent the tense few seconds waiting, just trying to block out the pain. He knew there was a pain resistance skill out There, he just had to find it. Unfortunately, his attempts were yet again in vain, as the glow and heat of the pursuing monster emerged. Callum took a deep breath and drew all his martial experience to the centre of his mind. He also remembered he had an occupation, and that came with some useful skills.

"Steady ground."

Damage reduced by 5% for (1:00)

"Hard stance."

Kinetic energy absorbed at 80% efficiency for (0:30)

Hard stance was his hidden move. It was amazingly overpowered if he was up against a physical fighter, but it wouldn't level up any further than the first level. Callum guessed it may evolve in the future, but he was happy with what he had.

He timed it perfectly. Just before the sprite rounded the corner, he drew his fist back to his waist, then shot it forwards while twisting it, shouting "ki-ya!" As he did so.

Skill learnt: Encouraging Shout ©

Encouraging Shout was mildly successful.

Damage increased by 6% for (0:20)

(Well-practiced) martial art (Jab punch) successful.

Immediate damage increased by 21%

Callum lost sight of his opponent as his ice fist reached the aura, and steam erupted from his hand. As soon as Callum was sure he had struck the crystal at the centre, he pulled his hand back quickly.

It was currently a mixed agony of frostbite and burns. The aura was larger than his glove was long, and a band of blistering skin stayed neatly behind is mostly melted ice glove. The dry ice at the forefront had done its job well though, and the majority of his hand was mostly undamaged.

Monster Killed.

Damage dealt: 24

Exp earnt: 78

"Thank God."

Callum spoke in relief and realised he didn't need the glove any more.

He slammed it against the wall as hard as he could, and it shattered violently. Luckily, any remaining shards of dry ice were directed forwards into the rapidly dissipating cloud of steam.

Callum checked his status bars. He had lost maybe 20 health from the ice alone, and at his current regen, it would take almost an hour for his burn and frostbite to heal completely.

"Fucking status effects."

With a sore, red, cracked and burnt hand, he wafted the cloud away and looked for any loot. Aside from the rapidly dissipating crystal shards, there was nothing on the floor.

"Typical. It was a goddamn summon."

Callum dismissed his frustration and turned back to May. Her effects were still active for another 15 and 55 minutes, so he had to go back to carrying her. With one hand.

Callum groaned and hoped his shout hadn't attracted any more summoned minions to his position. He picked up May around the waist and carried her under one arm. She waved weakly at him.

"Sorry about this, but only one hand available. You'll have to bear with it until I can get us back."

She settled down after that, and Callum felt a flicker of affection for her. It was something he had managed to keep buried for years, but... She was hot now. What was Callum supposed to do?