“Leanna! What’s going on?!” Jo-Lene glided down next to her niece as a pair of ice-shaped dragon wings shattered off her back. Jo-Leanna couldn’t answer her aunt just yet, as the magic cloud around the wolf leader spread out behind itself. “What now?!” Jo-Lene watched in horror as the magic engulfed the entire wolf population, beams of small thin lines of light attached to the leader’s back.

“Not enough.” Jo-Leanna was panting hard as her mana was drained quickly, supporting Rex’s recovery so he could continue to fight in the Mental Space. She turned a tired pleading look towards her aunt.

“Tsk. Fuck it!” Jo-Lene waved her hand as a blindingly bright potion appeared, squinting her eyes from the intense light she opened the bottle and chugged the contents. “Tastes like shit! I hate potions.” The bottle evaporated once the potion was used up, her body glowing with winding runic patterns. “Use mine.” She placed her two intensely magically glowing hands on the back of her niece.

“AAAH!” Jo-Leanne screamed out before gritting her teeth trying to handle such extreme power, from a dragon no less. “WORK!” She yelled as her nose bleed from exertion. Then a thrum echoed through her, and the mana began to be pulled into Rex. She gasped in surprise as the pain vanished, and the mana flow increased.

“Woah.” Jo-Lene cut the flow a bit after feeling the flow increase, it felt like it would take all she had if she didn’t stop it. She looked at her hands, the boost from the potion was only supposed to last a minute or two, yet the power from it was gone in thirty seconds. “Oh shit! We have to go!” In her view over the backs of the many wolves now laying down on the ground, was a wave of shiny metal armor glinting in the light.

“We can't leave him!” Jo-Leanna complained after finishing off a potion of her own. “He’s the Master of the Vessel and Star Spirit that runs it now! Are you really sure you want to go tell that Spirit you let his Master die after he did so much to save him?” She gave a hard glare to her aunt while lifting up her arms showing off the cuffs. “Plus thanks to Betty being all messed up being used by the royal family members, I get bonded into service to that very Spirit!” She felt quite better after yelling at her stunned-looking aunt.

“How bad is it?” Jo-Lene sighed out while seriously looking at her now calmed down niece. She looked up to watch the knights getting closer. “We have an hour most before trouble gets here, and with the Mist Barrier down you’re on the map now.” The magic from Rex was slowly gaining ground towards the leader wolf, even with all the threads adding to her own beam. “I wish I could see that battle, can’t believe this guy is beating them all.” She grinned at the thought of a massacre of the army of wolves against one human.

“That would be a sight.” Jo-Leanna stepped back to stand next to Jo-Lene. She only came up to the taller woman’s shoulder. “Betty took the Pheonix Feather from the treasury.” She leaned her head onto her aunt. “Then held a party for all the younger nobility, it was a setup, but we were instructed to just go along and observe it all. The Malcolm Empire had terrorists within some nobles, they staged a hostage situation.” She took a breath, trying to gather herself back up. “The Mandark Cult showed up with Goblin Raiders, which lead us to now.” It was the most action-packed week of her century and a half of living.

“If things got that bad, I’m sticking around then. Can’t let my cute niece get into life-threatening danger with me.” Jo-Lene wrapped her arm around her niece as she smiled at her, while her mind worked on plans for revenge against those who hurt her. “Seems I’ve been away for too long, I’m missing all the fun!” She barked out a laugh just as a thundering noise boomed out from Rex.

The majority of the magical light swirling around Rex was absorbed into the slender solid beam. A pulse shot out along the length as it crashed into the meeting point. A thunderous sound echoed out as Rex’s light surged forth like lightning. It crashed into Natasha, the magical cloud around her began to condense and shift, hiding her large form. The light carried onwards, traveling along the thin strands connecting to every wolf. A chorus of smaller thunder-like explosions followed as each and every wolf was wrapped up in the light as well.

“Bloody hell! Let’s not do that again, for a while.” Rex fell flat on his back, panting while sweating hard. “How’d I do?” He had sweat in one eye, so he could only look at the pair with his other eye. They both just looked at him and laughed. “At least help me up while laughing, good help is so hard to find these days. Oooh, gotta stretch them old bones out more.” Rex was mumbling while stretching in weird-looking positions that made the girls laugh longer.

“Master.” Natasha in her human form held out her hand to lift him up. “We will follow you forever, Master.” Once he was standing, she knelt before him, just as the army of wolves behind her bowed as one.

“Music to my ears, I always enjoy some good news.” Rex smiled while overlooking the wolves. His smile faded as he caught sight of many shimmering and glinting things in the distance. “Everyone to the Castle!” Rex pointed to the castle, the wolves all barked out and sprinted forwards. They all slowed down considerably after crossing the line into the area but were still extremely quick. “What happened to them?”

“It’s the limiter imposed upon higher-powered beings.” Jo-Lene wiped away a tear that formed after laughing too much. “I needed that.” She pointed to Natasha that was by his side. “She will drop down to the First Phase just like I have once she crosses, we’ll teach you more later so just hurry up.” She grabbed Jo-Leanna by the waist before jumping up and flying to the tower with icy dragon wings.

“Damn, I want to fly too.” Rex watched with jealously as the two elves flew off. The wolves all ran around the sides to the back of the castle. Natasha was beside Rex before he knew it.

“You can ride me, Master.” Natasha bent forwards staring at him, while he just blankly stared back.

“You going to shift into a wolf or something?” Rex just lifted an eyebrow at the girl who turned her head while tsking. “Seriously?” He leaned closer glaring at her.

“Fine.” She glowed briefly as she shifted into a large wolf, but smaller than her massive leader size. “We should hurry before they get here.” Rex hoped onto her back, the moment he gripped her fur, she shot off like a bullet. “Hold on!” It sounded like she giggled as she picked up her pace. Rex used every ounce of strength and will to hold onto her, while she raced not just across to the base of the tower, but up the side of it to land gracefully on top of it. “You need more practice, Master.” She shifted back into her human form as Rex fell to the floor of the tower.

“Later, we have other issues.” Rex struggled to sit up, with some help he stood up looking over everyone. “Smith! Can we get those magic soldiers back up? We have more unwanted guests approaching.” Rex lifted his thumb up and pointed over his shoulder. “We don’t have much time.”

“Not possible, sir.” Smith motioned to all the tired-out fighters before him. “We used all our defenses to survive the undead attack, we are all that’s left.”

“Can we leave yet?” Rex turned around to stare out at the approaching knight calvary.

“Not until we break our anchor, sir.” Pressior, the blonde well-built elf spoke out while hefting a greatsword over his shoulders. Rex just looked at the guy like he was speaking another langue.

“He means until we beat the dungeon or tower the Field has tied to us, we can not leave.” Matthias strode up next to Pressior, barely reaching below his shoulders. “What’s the goal of this Event Field?” Rex tapped his bracelet.

“What?!” Benni with frazzled hair and crazy eyes appeared while clutching a mass of screens with more popping up causing her to smash them with her tiny legs in kicks of furry. “I hate these things!” She threw the pile in the air while she deflated onto Rex’s shoulder. The screens instantly pilled up before her as she started poking them while sobbing.

“Uh, Benni, got a moment?” Rex didn’t know why there were so many and he was glad not to find out. He did feel for the poor fairy struggling with them. She turned her said face towards him. “What’s the goal of this field thing?”

“He means Clear Goal for the Event Field.” Matthias strode up next to Rex, with Linus looming behind him. “How are you in charge when you don’t even know this stuff, you should give up command to someone more fit for it.” He glared at Rex, while Rex just looked at him blankly before ignoring him.

“Linus, take him somewhere safe, away from me.” Rex could have sworn he saw a glimmer of a smile from the big guy, as he scooped up his charge and walked into the castle. “Now that the annoyance is gone, what he said, Benni.” She looked at him over the screens, after making a few more appear searching for something.

“It says you must complete a dungeon or survive for a week. Wait, we just lost that option.” She started to poke with both hands. “Not good. Now the only way out is to clear a Tower.”

“How did the dungeon change to a tower?” Pressior had wondered closer to listen in.

“First tower? No worries son, they are more pleasant than a dungeon but just as lethal.” Smith laughed out as he slapped Pressior on the back.

“Towers on Event Fields are gifts from above.” Tendo sarcastically said. “You usually have our friendly viewers above to thank for them.” He stuck to middle fingers in the air while snarling.

“This is why you have such shit luck.” Greg moved away from him, afraid of getting caught in divine smiting if he stood too close. “Don’t piss off the gods until we can leave, please.” He growled at Tendo who just went off to sulk some.

“Forgot the tower, how do we deal with the knights at our door?” Jo-Lene leaned over Rex’s head while pointing to the pathway which held a wall of shiny armored mounted knights. “Those aren’t the simple types from earlier either, that’s a properly mounted unit with a noble leading it.” Rex glanced over his shoulder and up at the taller elven dragoness.

“Can you do another of that breath beamy thing?” He asked her with a raised brow. “Maybe a wall of ice blocking their way?” He would take any sort of magical help about now.

“Due to the Phase Limit, I’m tapped out for now.” She sighed while watching the knights at the front of the unit lift large glowing kite shields. A larger glowing transparent image of the shield manifested in front of the mounts, creating a glowing magical shield wall. “We are seriously in trouble now, that’s the Shield Wall of Margrave Cowen.”

“How bad?” Rex pulled out his rifle to scope in on the glowing large magically force shield wall. He grinned as he remembered a certain bullet Alfred was nice enough to add for him.

“He works for Duke Herndon.” Greg growled out in disgust, but only received silence from Rex. “The confession from the two cultists earlier? Did you hit your head that hard?” He gave Rex a concerning look.

“Names were never my strong suit unless I have a face to go with it, I honestly don’t remember them.” Rex just shrugged his shoulders while finally seeing some movement from the unit. “Tendo, what’s your range for making a shot?”

“You seriously asking me if I can shoot them to death from here? I doubt a single arrow would penetrate that wall.” Tendo had his hands around his eyes, like if he had binoculars.

“I’m asking if you can hit them, not kill them.” Rex countered.

“My arrows will reach, but they would be swatted away with their swords. Plus even if it did hit the armor, it would be more of a love tap than an attack.” Tendo just sighed after scanning the enemies. “Unless they wander onto our side and get limited, we are screwed.”

“If they do, get ready to send them a love tap or two. I’ll follow up and hit that gap, I want to see how strong that armor really is.” Rex had an evil smile on his face as he made his plan.

“You’re insane, and I respect that.” Tendo brought out his longbow, which was his height when stung. “Any target in mind?” He had a fragile-looking arrow nocked and ready to pull back at a moment’s notice. “If you want a distraction, I can do that.” He had his own mischievous grin.

“I want you to make them use something other than that magic shield to block, otherwise this will not work.” Rex gave him a hard glare before going back to his scope. “Looks like a few brave souls are going to visit us.”

A group of knights crossed the pathway, their armors and weapons that glowed brightly, dimmed very noticeably the moment they crossed into Rex’s territory. The one in the lead held no shield, his sword was still sheathed. The three behind him each carried a different weapon. One had a staff, the other two stout sabers, and the last had a long poleax spear in hand. They came to a halt as the one with the staff started to cast something, a small magic circle appeared at the mouth of the leader.

“I am Margrave Cowen! Under orders from Duke Herndon, I demand you surrender the girl with the feather over to us.” The leader, Cowen shouted out thanks to the magical spell, his voice carried over to the tower top. “We are the Human Empire’s strongest mounted unit, give up before we trample you inferior beings to death!” His voice and attitude were seriously starting to piss Rex off.

“Tendo, give him a little love tap. Better yet, just get them to hold still.” Rex loaded up the AP Bullet. “His mouth is big enough target, fire.” Tendo launched a few arrows in rapid fashion high into the air. They dance around on an unseen breeze while the Margrave was still yelling, he pulled his sword out and swatted them all away with ease.

“So this is how you cretins respond, so be it!” He smacked a few more arrows away. “Knights! Cha-” A loud bang echoed out from the tower top, instantly something heavy smashed into Margrave Cowen. The light that glowed around his armor flared out of existence being used up, a few items crumbled to dust beneath the armor as well. “Kill them!” He tore off his now ruined helmet, his mage knight cast a barrier around them all, just as another bullet slammed into it, causing it to crack enough to shut him up.

“How’d he survive that?” Rex clicked his tongue in annoyance when the mage summoned the barrier. He could just unload on it, but his magic power was being used to fuel each shot, and it was taxing.

“Bastard probably had some items or treasures to save him from lethal hits. See how he retreats to the back, you must have done more damage than they expected.” Jo-Leanna handed a potion out to Rex, who drank it greedily, he really missed eating actual food. “At least your attack proved we can strike back, we have a slim chance.” She clenched her fist while giving a murderous glare towards the knights.

“What’s the plan, sir?” Pressior slammed his fist against his heart. “I’ll gladly fight beside you.”

“Why the change of heart?” Rex looked at the blonde elf skeptically.

“I thought you were one of those trashy Humans from the Empire, but after witnessing you today sir, I realize my assumption was wrong. Please let me join your crew, Captain.” He held out the handle of his greatsword in some traditional way Rex didn’t recognize.

“We can go over details once my castle is a ship again, and we aren’t fighting for our lives. Pressure was it?” Rex looked the built elf up and down.

“It’s Pressior, sir.” Pressior bowed while correcting Rex.

“Alright, Pressior, you got guard duty for the non-combatants. Go find Docket and make sure they are busy cooking away for us, if any uninvited guests approach, get rid of them.” Rex waved the guy off as he saluted before running off. “Natasha!”

“Master!” She was right beside him ready for anything the moment he called.

“Call me Captain instead. Where are the wolves?” Rex looked around his grassy lands below the castle, but couldn’t see a single wolf.

“They entered through the Main Gate, Captain.” Smith reported from behind him.

“Yes, they are all currently resting in the main courtyard, Captain.” Natasha confirmed it.

“We have a Main Gate?” Rex did a quick turn to stare directing at Smith. “Where is this gate?” He narrowed his eyes at the man.

“At the back wall sir. It’s to make it harder to enter the Castle if it’s at the rear.” Smith was slowly fretting under Rex’s gaze. “Is there a problem sir?”

“Is the gate locked?” Rex turned back to the moving knights, they had finally all crossed over, their mighty shield wall was now much dimmer and clearer than before. “Can they enter that way?”

“It’ll take time, but yes. Or they could try and destroy the walls first. INCOMING!” Smith had his hands glowing before slamming them on the ground. The walls shimmered before fireballs started to break against them. “We won’t last long under this barrage Captain!” Smith was already struggling with holding the walls, Greg laid a healing hand on him to support him.

“Natasha, it’s hunting time. Take your wolves and push them back, just damage them to drop their guard enough. Try and play it safe, I don’t want to lose you all just when I got you.” Rex saw as a knight dropped their shield as the mages continued to fire. “Once they are distracted, I’ll strike.” His rifle blasted out as a knight lost their helmet along with their head. A fountain of blood distracted the mage from properly casting, making him misfire his shot into the other one next to him.

“Find those moments, or create them, then strike. Don’t worry about the first strike, only the last one matters.” Rex stared at her hard, hoping she understood his lesson. He sighed as he turned back the battle, raising his rifle to find another target. “Safe hunting.”