Chapter 12:

“Robin, Alex, move back towards the pond. Try not to get surrounded!” If we can get Robin to the pond she will have an unlimited access to water. The ugly group are advancing on us, and they all have rather expensive looking weapons. I had to make a crude fix on the earth sword, and I don’t have time to make a shield. The main ugly guy gives me a smirk, “Get em.” With that the five others start rushing us. The first one reaches me and I evade his wide swing, the second right behind him goes for Alex. I put up a wall in between the two of them, and Alex readies his sword for the man comes around. A ice shard flies past my head and impales the one of the men in his shoulder. A strike comes for my side and I block it, but my sword is pushed into my side knocking me over.

Fuck these guys are strong! “Haha, you think you can fight back, these guys are halfway to their first evolution!” The main ugly gloats from behind his underlings. Looking over at Alex I see his sword covered in the black mist, and as one of the men come around the wall he slams it into their knees. WIth a sick snapping noise the man crumples down and starts screaming. “Good job Alex, one down!” “Ha, hah, hah, thanks Boss.” Shit Alex looks exhausted after that. Getting back up I meet my first assailant again, I know he is strong, but they at least down have strong defenses. I create a unhardened spear in my other hand, and stab towards him. He easily avoids my strike, but jumps backwards, and where he stood I see ice shards stab into the ground. I look towards the third attacker, and see that he looks like a pincushion, with ice shards sticking out all over his body. Two down, only four more.

Alex and I are currently having a sword fight with our respective opponents, while the third underling is dodging Robin’s ice shards. She will occasionally help out me and Alex, which is why neither of us have lost yet. My spear has been shattered multiple times, and the earth sword has tons of notches cut into it. It won’t last much longer. “What are you pansies doing, how have you not beaten them already! Looks like I will have to help out my weak lackeys.” The main ugly man draws his sword and fire starts to shoot out from the blade. Shit this doesn’t look good. During the distraction one of the lackeys didn’t notice Robin’s attack and was impaled by an ice spear. Three down, two lackeys and the boss our left. Alex is barely hanging on, and I am not faring much better.

The ugly boss swings his sword in a sideways arch and a crescent of fire is shot out towards us. I quickly put up a small wall and hide behind it. The flame is slowed, but still cuts through, I barely am able to get under it. The flame continues and is heading for Robin, but she raises a wall of water extinguishing the flame. Damn, the ugly boss is at least at the level of the hobgoblin. While I am still on the ground my opponent takes the opportunity to strike at me. I block with the sword, but it snaps in half and his blade cuts through my thigh. Thanks to my defense the wound isn’t too deep, but it's going to slow me down. The lackey raises his sword to strike down at me, and I raise a tiny wall under his feet. His balance is thrown off, and Robin throws a spear at him, but he rolls backwards barely dodging it. Right then, I see Alex’s opponent land a strike on him, blood scatters from his stomach as he is laying on the ground, “Alex!” Using the small amount of free time I have I create a spear and throw it at the lackey that is about to finish off Alex. The spear luckily pierces his thigh, but not very deep. The lackey tries to pull the spear out, but instead gets a ice shard through the eye. Four down, only two left, we can do this!

“Pathetic, and they wanted to join my group. Gerald, me and you are going to finish off these two, the goblin is pretty much dead.” “Got it Boss, but let me handle the human. He has been a real annoying shit.” “That’s fine by me, the lizard sic should be a good opponent, I can’t wait to see what color blood she has!” The ugly boss lowly advances, but completely ignores me. My opponent seems to be Gerald. I slowly stand back up, their conversation gave me enough time to make a part way hardened sword and shield. They won’t last long, but it's the best I have at the moment. I start off with shooting a bullet of earth at Gerald, but he swats it away with his sword. The speed of my bullet can’t compare to Robin's, make a wall in between Robin and the ugly boss hoping to slow him down. He just slices it into pieces, I start moving towards Gerald and control the earth to give myself push points. “Seems like I should get a bit serious.” Gerald smirks and flames come out of his sword, although they are smaller than the ugly boss. Once in range I raise another small earth wall under his feet, but he quickly jumps at me. I block his swing, but the his strength pushes me onto my knee. I create an earth spike in front of me, and Gerald dodges to the side. He kicks me in the ribs sending me flying, and breaking a couple of them. Why is it always my ribs?

WIth some space between me and Gerald, I hastily strengthen my shield and sword. Robin and the ugly boss are sending ice and flame attacks at each other. Unfortunately it seems like Robin is at a disadvantage, as she is only barely stopping the attacks from hitting her. I need to deal with my opponent quickly or this is going to turn from bad to worse. I get back up, and head towards Gerald. I don’t have advantage in strength, but I do in defense so I am going to have to use that. Putting the plan into action, I dive right into the range of Gerald’s sword. He starts to swing rapidly trying to break through my shield. After blocking five of his strikes, I lower my shield and strike towards his chest. He dodges my sword and cuts a deep gash into my left arm, but I expected that and prepared a earth bullet. At this range not even he can dodge, letting it go, Gerald jumps to avoid the bullet, but it pieces into his thigh. That should slow him a bit, “Aaugh.” From behind me I hear Robin scream, she got hit by one of the ugly boss’ flame strike. I can see her robe has caught on fire, and she rips it off. “Haha, maybe I won’t kill you right away, you have quite the fine body, for a lizard sic.” That bastard is disgusting!

I rush at my opponent, and swing at him with all my strength. He blocks my strike and cuts my right arm this time. My head is feeling a bit light, might be from all the blood loss. Well it's do or die, I once again strike at full strength, Gerald blocks and this time stabs towards my heart. I create a mound of dirt underneath my right foot, Gerald’s blade stabs straight into my chest, right below my right collar bone. I tighten all my muscles, stopping the blade from being pulled out. I slam my shield’s side into his arm and twist my body causing him to let go of his sword. Immediately I use as much control as I can muster and surround his legs in earth. With the as much strength as I can I once more swing at him, breaks the earth around his legs, but he wasn’t quick enough. My sword slams into his neck, and his neck bends at an angle it never should. Gerald and I both collapsed onto the ground, but he is dead and I am not.

My vision is growing darker. I have lost most of the feeling in my limbs, but I can’t sleep. Robin needs me, she is still fighting. I pull the sword out of my chest, and lay it on the ground. I roll over onto my chest. I slowly push myself off the ground. “Seems like you aren’t dead yet traveller. Well don’t worry I am almost done here, and you will be next.” I see Robin, her skin is blackened, most of her hair has been burned off, and she is bleeding from some many places I can’t even tell where it is coming from. Luckily he can’t get close to her in the water. Wait! That’s it, the water! Mustering my strength I yell to Robin, “Robin, don’t give up, remember what happened this week during training. I am going to need you to do it again!” Robin smiles at me, “Understood, we can’t give up now, our journey is not done yet.” “What a touching scene, but you're about to bleed out and this lizard sic is too ugly now, so I am just going to kill her.”

Truly a stupid man, even in her current state Robin is still beautiful. I stand up with the help of my sword, and start limping my way over to the ugly boss. He is still shooting flame strikes at Robin, who can only block a portion of them. I barely make it to about five yards away from the ugly boss, when I fall over. Our journey isn’t over yet! I pull all the earth I can feel around me, I pile it up as much as I can. The more i gather the harder it gets to control, like trying to hold a pile of sand in your arms. Straining more and more I reach my limits. With the last bit of my control I create a wave of earth, and aim it at the ugly boss, “Go for a swim, jackass.” The ugly boss was too busy torturing Robin with flame strikes, and only notices the earth wave when it’s too late. “The fuck!’ as he shouts the wave hits him and grabs him into the pond. His head emerges from the water in a rage, “The shit do you think you are doing traveller, trying to drown me? A little water isn’t gonna kill me!” Truly a stupid man, “You’re right, the water won’t, but she will.” He looks confused for a second before he turns to look at Robin. Right then with closed eyes, white mist is surrounding her, and her eyes snap open. The pond instantly freezes, and encases the ugly boss in it.

The ugly boss’ head is still sticking out of the ice, “You pieces of shits can’t kill me! I am almost at my first evolution, and you are nothing! I will kill-” An ice shard pierces through his head killing him. Finally the stupid ugly man shuts up, “Good job Robin. Robin?” I look up and see Robin collapsed on the shore of the pond. Shit, Robin and Alex are both going to die if I don’t get them healed soon. But fuck, I can barely move myself! I start crawling towards Robin, “Looks like I might have arrived a bit too late.” I know that voice, Letic! That bastard has come to see us finished off! I hear Letic walk over towards the underling that got his knees broken. He must have passed out from the pain, as he hasn’t moved since the then, and once Letic reaches him I see a drip of water come from his hand and land on the man. His breathing stops, Letic just killed him. Letic slowly walks over towards Robin, “Don’t you fucking touch her!” He keeps walking towards her, “Touch her and I will kill you! I swear, you harm a single hair on her and I will rip you to shred!” I want to move, but I fucking can’t! My body is screaming, but my heart is telling me to save her.

Letic reaches Robin, and I am praying in my heart that he doesn’t kill her. I don’t think I could move on if Robin died! Tears run down my face as he places his hand above her head, “They really did a number on you. You know that the water element is the closest element to light? Unfortunately it can’t compare in it’s healing abilities.” A single drop of water falls from his hand, and it lands on Robin. It’s over she is dead. I thought I could bring her freedom, but in the end I only killed her. Letic reaches down and picks up Robin. He starts carrying he over towards Alex. Please no, not him also, The first relationships I have created ends like this? No! It won’t! I force my body to stand, “I won’t let you!” “Sit down.” An ice chair forms underneath me, and forces me to sit down in it. Another drop falls from Letic’s hand and lands on Alex’s head. Letic looks over at me, collapsed in a chair, “The lizard sic is fine, but the goblin has lost a lot of blood and should rest for a couple of days.”

The words he said don’t register, they’re fine? Robin and Alex will live? “Once again it seems I was too late to warn you about the danger. From my sources I heard you pissed off a certain harpy from the Wyvern family, and our family head had me come out to warn you. But, you handle it yourself, surprising considering they should be leagues ahead of your group in their elemental absorption.” Huh? He isn’t here to finish us off? What happened to his arrogant feeling, he kind of resembles Robin now.

“Come with me, we can get your friends a place to rest. You can also meet the head of the Verix family. You owe us this, as I just saved your goblin friend there.” My head is swimming the pain, the confusion, and the relief are all going full throttle. Letic who I thought was the bad guy, saved Alex, and now he is offering a place to rest. “I will take you up on that offer, but can I meet the family head later? I am not in the best condition right now.” Letic picks up Alex and carries them both over towards me. The chair changes shape into a platform and he lays Robin and Alex next to me. It’s embarrassing to feel so defenseless, but I am barely keeping myself conscious. “Relax.” With those words I fall asleep.

Waking up I find myself in really nice clothes, and on a large bed. Robin and Alex are by my sides, both asleep as I can see their chests rising and falling. Getting out of the bed carefully making sure to not wake them up. I make my way to the door before I hear some shifting on the bed. Turning around I see that both Robin and Alex are starting to wake up. “John, we won? Where are we?” I give Robin a smile, “Yes we won, and we are currently in the Verix family house, I believe. Letic apparently wasn’t a bad guy.” “I see.” Robin tries to get out of bed, but falls over when she tries. I hurry over to help her out, “You ok? You don’t need to push it, just relax.” “I’m ok, thank you.” “Hey boss, I am sorry. I was useless, and I should leave the group.” What? Where is this coming from? But before I could even ask Robin speaks first, “No.” “But I need both of you to protect me, I am not worth it.” “No.” “But, you both have given me so much in this small amount of time, and the first time I am needed. I was useless.” “No.” Seems like I should step in here a bit, “Alex what I think Robin is trying to say is that you’re a part of this group now. Whether you like it or not. Also truth be told, if it wasn’t for Robin we would both be dead. We just need to train harder, so that the next time this happens, we can be the ones to protect Robin.” Tears start to fall down Alex’s face, “Thank you Robin, thank you Boss, I will become strong enough!”

“Well if you two are feeling up for it why don’t we see if we can find someone to help us.” With both Robin and Alex out of the bed. We head out of the only door, but immediately outside of the room is a women, “Hello traveller and group, I have been instructed to lead you to the family head once you have woken up. If you will follow me.” The lady who I believe is a maid starts walking down the hall. We follow her, and soon reach a large room. It looks something like an office, with a work desk and two couches in the middle of the room. There is a man sitting in a chair behind the work desk. “I have brought them.” I was trying to focus on the man, but for some reason it's hard to make out his face. “Thank you Lydia, welcome traveller and friends. I hope you are feeling better, please have a seat.” He motions towards the sofa, and we all sit down on one of them. He takes a seat on the couch opposite of ours, “It’s nice to meet you my name is Scarson Verix. I am the head of this family, and I would like to invite you and your friends.” The man's face stops being hard to focus on and I see a dandy looking man with a large smile on his face.