The battle only went downhill from there. Alixandra’s health dropped to about 75%, but I had scored a gash in my thigh, a river of warm blood flowing through my pant leg. Axel finally reloaded, but he only lowered the health of the enemies with his next volley. Cassidy’s skeleton shadow clone had dissolved, and Alixandra had to refocus and cast her spell again, while her heath flooded out with her blood. I looked over the situation and decided my time had come to end my cowardice and pitch in for real.

“Cassidy, have Alixandra drink this,” I tossed her the philosopher’s flask and activated ‘Sixth Sense.’ My eyes closed, and I felt everything around me as though my body were covered in eyes and ears. The skeleton I was facing stabbed toward me, but I leaned left and struck out at its legs.

[2 Damage]

I saw Cassidy struggling to defend Alixandra while she drank from the flask, and I struck out at the skeleton they were facing. I turned to me, and now I had attacks coming from two different directions. I activated ‘Bullet-time Processing’, I would need the edge, even though the mana drain would be unfortunate. The points I had put into agility showed some worth, I felt like I could move a little better now than before. I felt a spike of threatening presence behind me, and I dropped low to dodge a sword strike, parrying another attack with my staff before it gave me a C-section. I counterattacked the previous enemy, slamming the butt end if it upward into their jawbone. Even though it happened in slow motion, the blow had the force of a normal attack and greater precision. The ancient bones at the bottom of the skull shattered, fragments flying like white shrapnel.

[8 Damage]

I swept at the skinny legs of the skeleton behind me before he could run me through, and then my mana failed me. Scraping in vain at the bottom of my mana pool, my skills had canceled. My eyes shot open, and I saw a sword flying toward my face. My eyes barely had enough time to widen before shadowy nails pierced the skeleton’s shadow, and it froze in place. Gunshots rang, and the skeleton collapsed to the stones with a clatter. A huge boom sounded behind me as the last enemy was crushed into a fine powder by a huge boulder. I was panting, and I looked up toward the rest of the party as a system notification appeared.

[Your party has defeated Skeleton Warrior (x4)]

+120 exp

+10 silver

Participation Rating: 7/10]

[Level Up!

You have reached Level #3:

+4 to all stats

+7 stat points

EXP to next Level: 25/110]

[‘Sixth Sense’ has leveled up to level 2!]

[‘Bullet-time Processing’ has leveled up to level 2!]

Alixandra pushed a glass flask at me. The philosopher’s flask was almost completely empty, but I appreciated the gesture and finished it. The deep cut on my thigh began to heal as I gulped the liquid down. We regrouped and prepared to move on, allowing our mana and health to return to their max. I felt so much more fulfilled by this victory than the last. I had actually played a part, helped out where it was most crucial. Even Axel seemed less cold towards me, and the awkward air that permeated all of our interactions before had disappeared.

----------------------------

In front of the doorway, there was a red exclamation point the length of my leg. We stood looking at it for a second, so I took a moment and analyzed it.

[Danger: There is a boss chamber ahead]

“It’s a boss room,” I said, turning to the rest of the party, “Are we ready for this?”

“As ready as we can be,” Axel growled. Cassidy gave the most energetic nod I’d seen her give.

“Let’s take the challenge!” Alixandra said, grinning bravely, “I trust our combined strength.”

The decision made, I swallowed hard and turned back to the doorway, and we walked through.