The party got up from a very brief rest, there was a trail leading to the hidden hand. There would be a final push to expel or destroy their last presence in the city. They were geared up eager and ready, they met their squads at the guard house. Together they ate a simple meal at the barracks.

The sheriff came in and started to brief them, she was in her full adventures gear. It was pretty impressive; she was sober her eyes her body a sharply honed tool. She had perhaps been doing a bit of training in her own quarters, or she had some magical item that maintained her conditioning.

She addressed the assembled agents and troops. “We have confirmation that the hidden hand have been operating out of a ship in the harbour. That is why their temporary bases always seem pretty empty. We will take it and all their secrets soon”.

She gathered the party the deputy sheriff and a few of the captains and lieutenants for a less rousing conversation in private. “There are a couple of patrol boats sitting in the entrance of the harbour. The captain of the dock has checked. No ship matching the description we have of the Scylla has been seen”. “Could the description be inaccurate”? one of the greener lieutenants asked. The sheriff was deadly serious, “the same description was verified under truth tonic, an appraisal grimoire and under an oath with a holy symbol”.

The sheriff counted the possibility's, “they are in the harbour somewhere, in the shadow of a larger ship. Amongst a tangle of fishing ships, perhaps hoping to slip out with the fleet. Maybe they have some illusion or simple physical disguise. I think it unlikely but perhaps they bribed one of the patrol boat commanders, I do not know. Even if they get out of the harbour the house of teach has a warship guarding the waters”.

“A sloop would be split in half with a single barrage and even less if we tagged them for green belly, we are combing the docks we will find them”. The deputy sheriff risked a question, “how long do you think it will take”? “I am not sure; they have been hiding under our nose for years. We simply didn't know they were there, now it’s different. We might have to search everything again and again until something falls into place”.

The sheriff gave them their orders which amounted to patrol around the docks in a large group until you find something suspicious. The betting money was on the four masters, Martin with his crystal monocle Alice with her high level Analyse magic and Vivian with her golem eye and boosted perception.

They stood in the centre of the harbour after two sweeps revealed nothing, Alice turned to Martin. “You have a blessing that can point you in the right direction, do you think you could use it to find the right spot in the harbour”? “Yes, it can allow me to find a weak spot on an opponent, typically a vampire who is a threat. Or just get a rough sense of where they are like a track”. He got to a high point on top of some boxes and held out his holy symbol. “Thy will be done”, he twisted as if blown by a wind no one else could feel, a weather vane pointing the right direction.

Martin was pulled in one direction, “we are guided to our objective, I would say it is somewhere between those two docks”. That area was right next to the fish market, the salting and smoking warehouses. It was full of an almost choking knot of ships, a good place to hide in the hubbub. As they got to the end of the pier Alice pointed. “I can sense …magic, a lot of magic, it is a strange mix powerful too the hidden hand most likely”.

There was a ship right in front of her, Vivian's eye homed in on it. Now that they were looking at the sloop it was quite obvious that it was the one that they were looking for. Martins monocle analysed it up and down, “I can see some extra hull reinforcements, some of the rigging has been changed”. Vivian looked over it, “They painted it white with a few other details on the ship changed. They named it the flounder the paint its barely dry. They must have been repainting it for the last few days washing it white”.

David grinned as the gears in his head caught up, “That explains a few things why they have not been seen very much they were altering their ship”. Alice made an astute observation, “whatever is on the ship would take more …time to move, if they can move it that makes you wonder”.

They were anticipating 12 hidden hand rouges and the first blade. They must have some levels in the sailor job so that they could crew the ship, they didn't need that much to just move it around port. Vivian's golem eye scanned the ship, “I can see four of them on deck, four up in the rigging. The other four and the leader I am not sure, probably below decks or close”.

To reach the ship they had to get on one of the patrol boats. A dock guard signalled one of the small patrol ships over with a torch. Vivian turned to their squads, “stay back from the fighting leave this one to us, they won’t hesitate to kill you. On the confined deck of a ship we would get in each other’s way. I want you to stay on the boat and keep an eye out for any reinforcements”.

They got onto of the patrol boats and started to approach the sloop. Alice cast a physical shield spell over herself then Vivian, Martin used a defensive blessing. The patrol ship had a small bolt thrower on the deck it was primed and ready. The guards and crusaders formed a shield wall with the scouts prepared to fire over it and the militia ready to hurl spears. As they got closer to the ship four more hidden hand rogues and the first blade came up from inside the ship. They looked worried, they had crossbows and started to precisely aim at the patrol boat.

One of the sailors was killed beside them taken in the head with a crossbow bolt before he could react. Alice sent an acid strike spell into the rigging. The half-dissolved rogue hit the water moments later. They had definitely found the right sloop. Definitely not a decoy the way the hidden hand was defending it. The crew on the patrol boat hunkered down using any piece of the ship as cover. The b bolt thrower was a hairs breath away from taking the first blades head off but just missed. The guards held there shields up ready to counter.

Martin emptied his four barrelled pistol at one of the rogues in the rigging. If the lead bullets didn't kill him the impact with the deck definitely did. Vivian's iron arrows disappeared into the rigging and another rouge fell. The rouges up there had a better angle as a second sailor was wounded, but they also had very limited options to dodge.

Alice threw her kinetic strike spells at the hidden hand operatives. It forced them to keep their heads down. As the patrol boat drifted closer David used a grappling hook with an iron chain to latch onto the sloop and pulled them together. Martin activated his hand of Tesla and threw a bolt of lightning up into the rigging. The last sniper up there was toasted along with part of one sail. The hidden hand had piled up crab pots and a few old nets on the sloops deck to make it look like a fishing vessel.

Two of the rouges tried to pry the grappling hook lose. Vivian and Alice peppered them with spells and arrows, they fell back rapidly. Martin layered on the defensive blessings and was the first on deck. His durability combined with his sword parry skills allowed him to clear and area forcing the hidden hand back. David was there a moment later charging onto the deck, they set about cutting and hacking at the hidden hand. Martin combined his focus abilities with an adrenalin strike cutting one opposing member down, spears and arrows joined the support from the guard’s ship.

David was finding it a different environment on a ship. There was far less room to swing a sword but there were also far fewer places to run to. He cornered the rouges leader against a stack of worn crab cages. The first blade tried to vault over him, only to be cut down with a well-timed strike from David.

Vivian was the next one on deck, she switched to her more expensive arrows when she was certain she wouldn't lose them to the ocean. A rouge was pinned with a Damascus bodkin to the foot then an arrow right through there centre of mass. Alice following shortly after on to the ship. She used illusionary allies and the mage armour spell to buff herself up. She targeted the nearest group of rouges. Two of them left the deck via a fire ball, it was a bit to close burning up some rigging and old fishing nets. Vivian shouted to her, “not so close, we don't want you to sink the ship when we are on it”.

Vivian got two more of the rouges with her shots. While they were too busy worrying about David and Martin. Alice caught one of the last ones with her icy tomb spell and David caught the last of the hidden hand on deck. His blade sliced off the top of the rouges head. Where he expected to find an explosion of gore there was nothing. The head was not hollow, but it contained something unusual. They looked stared on in surprise, there was no brain, but a shattered crystal connected to the flesh of the body, it was a little like the crystal used to connect the golem eye to Vivian's flesh.

Martin remembered seeing such a crystal before used by archanists, so that they could see what their creations could see. They had been fighting flesh puppets all along. Vivian had seen it as well, the real members of the hidden hand were god knows wear.

Alice looked at the corpse as it started to fade away. “A mixture of enchanting and blood alchemy, I think they grow a spare body from the actual rogues’ own blood as a template. They form it around one of these enchanted crystals, it must be based on the ... actual rouge or they wouldn't have scars or other distinguishing features like the same voice. Clever they don't put themselves in danger”. Vivian looked at the bodies fading away. “Ingenious no wonder they don't seem to fear death”. David grinned, “must be as expensive as hell though”.

Their eyes glowed as the level up hit. Alice smiled a grin of mirth and triumph. Few mages ever reached level 100. It was her destiny, a destiny she had chosen for herself, to completely master her magic. To stand at the pinnacle of her profession to join the inner council of the tower.

She was an exalted master, for a mage that meant a final bonus of 100 extra points of mana. Her mind sharpened to the point where she could maintain six spells at the same time. Her standard abilities to analyse magic recharge enchantments and regenerate magic improved to level six. She could call on 730 points of mana a huge reserve almost two and a half times her hit points.

Something filled her mind’s eye something that made her complete, something that made her whole. “You have attained level 100 in your chosen path, supreme spell unlocked. Once per week spell power unending. 5 minutes of effectively infinite mana. Then a complete mana drain with a hundred points of physical backlash damage. The supreme ability was moulded by a person’s desires, Martins desire to strike out at the vampires that destroyed his life manifested in his ability to strike out and do phenomenal damage.

Her desire for power to change her position and the mages tower had given her a supreme spell that summoned power. It would leave her powerless once used but if she still had mana in her staff that would not be too bad. The backlash damage might be enough to knock her out. She would have to be careful about using it as it might be enough to kill her outright if she was badly injured, but then all power had its price.

David reached level 98 his immovable skill reached level 3, he was well suited to holding his ground it was a passive skill. Martin could do something similar with his crusaders stride ability, but he had to expend focus to do it and he could only do it once per day. Vivian reached level 99 her stun skill reached level 8 she was one step behind Alice behind gaining her own supreme skill.

Martin reached level 10 of his crusader job. That class level unlocked his ability to use adrenalin fuelled physical attacks. They paled in comparison to Vivian or David, but he could now hit quite a bit harder. He also unlocked the crusaders first group of blessings they were much the same as other blessings he already had access to, but they added to his ability's. Four more uses of wrath, two uses each of divine favour and retribution additional uses of holy aura, armour and shield of faith.

Martin gestured to the spot the last rouge had occupied before fading away, “dam body hopping bastards, judgements coming”. Alice had her own explanation, “I wouldn't say it’s like a …possession, it’s like a precisely made puppet. With strings as long as a man's thoughts”. They formed up got ready and pried open the hatch to go into the hold of the ship.

There were lots of broken pottery jars about the size of a man, about 40 jars were left. “They must have been storing back up bodies in these jars or they even grew them in hear”, David looked to the mage, “blood alchemy right”? Answered the disgust in her voice palpable, “yes to twist …nature to remake flesh”.

David looked about again. “I was thinking we would find some sort of doppelgänger”. Martin prodded one destroyed jar, “who knows what they used for this magic? What it is founded on, who knows what rare creatures became part of the ingredients for the potion that grew these hidden hand body doubles”?

Thirteen of the remaining jars shattered from the inside. The hidden hand operatives were armed and armoured. It seemed the fate enchantments didn't destroy their equipment but moved them to their next new body. Vivian looked about, “keep your spells and ability's in check if we hull the boat we could end up at the bottom of the harbour”.

The resurgent hidden hand attacked again, twelve rouges plus the first blade. They each got off a single crossbow shot. Most of which just found armour though Vivian got a small wound. Alice quickly hit her with a cure poison spell. Vivian pined two of the rouges to the support beams of the ship with her bodkin arrows. She was careful to use shots that would not shatter the hull of the ship. David used his shield to batter the two nearest rouges to death. Rather than chance slicing through the hull with his mithril blade. Alice hit two of them with her desiccate spell, Martin caught another three with his Tesla grenades frying them where they stood.

The hidden hand didn't have room to manoeuvre, as their numbers started to plummet. The first blade was left with three rouges. Alice hit one of them with her icy tomb spell and the man frosted over. Vivian caught one with a precise bow shot, they moved out of the way and didn’t have time to dodge the second broad-head arrow. Martin threw an octium knife empowered with a “divine retribution blessing”. The first blade ducked out of the way and the rogue behind him was struck and finished off.

The first blade dived for a large barrel; he knocked a crate off the top of the barrel. Revealing a wooden handle, he tied to push it down. David had no intention of letting him, his sword cut a tight arch and the leader lost his head. Before he could trigger the large alchemist, bomb sinking them all to the bottom of the harbour an action none of them would likely survive.

Temporarily stopped more of the jars shattered, forming a second wave of the hidden hand. They were desperate now running out of spare bodies they had one goal to reach the detonator. Martin used “Martyrs spirit” the ethereal soul of a vampire hunter appeared with a giant maul and started to pound three hidden hand operatives into submission, blocking access to the leaver. Alice cast a few more icy tomb spells slowing and flash freezing more of the rouges. Vivian let lose a low powered barrage of arrows that caught more or them. David thrust his blade in the confined spaces. David had enough thought to smash the last of the jars, before any of the hidden hand resurfaced.

The first blade without any spare bodies was all that was left. Wounded his puppet body fading Vivian looked over him, “consider this your warning to keep out of the four master’s way, keep coming for us and we will drive you out of another town”. The first blade made an insulting gesture with two raised fingers, as Martin stabbed him, he coughed blood. “My last death hear is … also ... yours”.

There were thirty barrels scattered throughout the lower deck. As the first blade died again his body flashed pale green, the barrels did the same. A fail safe opened the barrels, releasing carnivorous translucent slimes from inside them. They now had about 30 to fight, some went over the floor some on the walls some climbed up and hung down from the ceiling.

They seemed to concentrate on Alice, perhaps it was her magic attracting them or her light ring. She held them back with her shield spell. Vivian found herself at a disadvantage she had hardly any attacks that would work against a slime. They might be forced to fight their way out before they were killed by the slimes depending on their potency.

Alice cast her desiccate spell, immediately the slimes shrivelled up decaying into residual scum on the wooden hull. Martin started to use his blessings, the mindless blobs crumbled into salt. Or were immolated engulfed in holy light. A mallet empowered with the wrath blessing flattened a slime into a glowing stain on the floor.

David used his tactic from his last fight with slimes, relying on the fire enchantment in his sword, it worked quite well when thrust into the creatures. Vivian had a group of three enchanted mithril arrows frost fire and shock spells. Pushing all three into one slime at the same time was enough to kill it. She started to stab the slimes as they surrounded her and tried to devour her. Thankfully she was quite tough, so the slimes didn't stay around too long as they attempted to engulf her ankles. Slowly their numbers dropped to a handful. The last few slimes fell to an icy tomb spell and Martins wrath of the almighty which was a bit of an over kill.

Their eyes glowed as the level up hit. Vivian felt something drop into place inside her, like an arrow dropped into a quiver ready to be fired. She had trouble remembering a mercenary that reached level 100, it had been a very long time. She had crossed a threshold where hiring her suddenly became far more expensive, the glass bay mercenary company would be thanking their lucky stars their investment in her had grown.

She was ever the professional an exalted master, with her last class level her comprehensive training ability reached its final level. She was now able to train elite imperial praetorian guard soldiers the likes of which the world had not seen in generations. They could reach up to level 90. They had the unflinching ability where they would never rout would never abandon their duty. There weapons skill could go as high as level 25. They also gained the prodigious martial learning trait gaining 2 skill points per level in related abilities able to pick up two skill levels per the usual level up.

Vivian could see something channelled through her golem eye, 'you have attained level 100 in your chosen path. Supreme martial art obtained one use per day, two-mile shot consumes 50 adrenalin causes 1000 physical damage effect 5 second stun one arrow. Her supreme skill was more flexible than Martins but not as powerful, but she could use it more often. It was the ultimate reflection of her choice on being an archer at the expense of ignoring every other ability.

Alice would need to breakthrough to continue to level while David reached level 99 putting his immovable skill up to rank 4. Martin reached level 11 of his crusader job and gained a new skill cleaving strike, a skill that helped him to cut deeper into an opponent.

David looked calm, “that's it right? It’s over, the hidden hand have been staying low key for the last few days. Painting this ship, a different colour and changing the rigging so they could try to slip out of the harbour”. Martin was in agreement, “that's what it looked like a last-ditch attempt to get away”. They proceeded to check the captain’s cabin, there was some sort of trap spell. Martin was hit with poison damage easily shaking it off.

There was a lot of paperwork that was quite incriminating at a start there was some evidence against the other criminal gangs a few key merchants’ minor nobles. There was a set of ledgers of finances that matched quite a few of the papers that the loan shark had given them. The hidden hand were making over 2200 silver a month from North-port. Just from the low-level crime other elements information brought in even more. There was blackmail information informants, hidden stashes of equipment and goods that they were planning to recover later.

There were a few strong boxes that succumb to Martins pistol shot blowing the lock off. They found silver bars emeralds some cash jewellery and a lot of coin. Vivian looked at David, “don't look so dam happy most of this goes to the duchess, there are laws in place for dealing with crime syndicates we would get 10% of this probably about 1300 silvers worth”.

David could see a very powerful custom sword in front of him, “what she doesn't know about wont ...”. Clang Vivian knocked him on his ass. “Never mention that again, we work to uphold the law. We are professionals first and foremost”. He held up his hands, “I get it too much to lose. It’s not worth risking for one score and we are getting paid more anyway”.

Alice felt something a familiar hint of magic, a little checking around and she found a false bottom to a box and the 4th key. She checked it against the others it looked the same. Alice held it out trying to read the spells inside it, “you know what ...this means”? Vivian answered curtly, “we have a massive headache to deal with latter on”. Martin gave them a little food for thought, “a vault to keep robbers out, might be a prison to keep some monster in, we need to be careful” David remembered one of their local encounters, “you saw that old golem Sandy rose had, golems don't appear outside the elven cites. Makes you wonder, did they have some outpost”?

The Alchemists fail safe device was deactivated, certain of no more surprises the ship was brought into dock. The dead sailor was taken away to the cathedral. They grabbed all the papers and treasure and went to report to the duchess. They were soon in her audience room; she had a smug triumphant look in her eyes.

“Agents please tell me everything”. Vivian laid it out on a table, “Duchess Teach if you will look at this paperwork from the hidden hand, it shows all their scams dealings big and small. The gang bosses that reported to them without the rank and file even knowing who they really worked for, this is a report from the captain of the docks”.

She quickly scanned through the report getting honeyed wine served to her guests, “excellent you captured their base of operations. They were working from a ship, clever enough I suppose. I will have that ship put in dry dock. Then I will have it checked from stem to stern for any extra surprises. Then a refit a bolt thrower or two and it will be added to the harbour patrol ships useful to me”.

Alice adopted a sombre tone, “between us we need to report …some worrying facts, despite killing the hidden hand operatives dozens of times they didn't stay dead. They had back up bodies in pottery jars. You cut them down and their equipment and body fade and then they get up out of a jar. I think that they probably have some sort of blood alchemy to grow replacement bodies based on the original rouge”.

The duchess drained her wine her superior attitude gone, “What? explain it in more detail so that I can speak to the trade commissioner and the bishop”. Alice made an educated guess, “the hidden hand are using enchantment with a transmission …crystals to remotely control the puppet bodies. We have seen an archanist use a similar technique to control their minions. On the rouges we killed where the brain should be there was a large crystal”.

The duchess was turning pale her voice was quiet, “with the fate enchantments that they use to dispose of any evidence, we always suspected that they have some powerful backer. To allow access to some powerful enchanter. I hate to think what magic must exist out there, the hidden hand must have close links to the vampires. They seem to be the ones who do a lot of the vampire’s dirty work inside our walls”. Martin nodded, “they have spoken a few times about collecting gold that vampires have put on our heads”.

Vivian tried to console the noble, “the cost must have been huge to undertake such an endeavour, that money is lost to the hidden hand”. The duchess looked a little better, “There resources are not infinite, a good point. I am truly horrified at the sort of power the hidden hand wields. It still shows weakness, these puppet bodies are copies of the originals. That would make a degree of sense, if we could find the originals that would be the end of them, you have well-earned you reward”.

They gained 1400 silver 10% from the recovered funds. The duchess paid them the promised 1000 silver bounty she had initially promised. After the group had a brief discussion, they agreed to split the bounty with the people helping them. They keep 900 silver, but 100 silver was split between the sixteen people in their squads. This equalled six silver and twenty-five bronze penny's, not bad for four days of work. A good reward for daring to stand up to the hidden hand, after all they had volunteered for this job.

After agreeing to meet in the tavern later they went back to their private quarters, David's specifically. David looked at the group trying to get a consensus, “so do you think that we did enough to put an end to the hidden hand hear, enough to kick them out of North port”? Vivian reassured him, “I think if they did have any influence left it is fleeting, I don't think they will be back”. “This is a valuable city you saw the kind …of money they were making, they might try to crawl back in”, Alice was a realist.

“Our job was to topple the Hidden hand, most of the criminals that worked for them are gone most of their business are broken” said Martin. “After they have shipped the worst dozen or so gang bosses off to the tower keep jail it’s still not over”, Vivian pointed out. “What do you mean it’s not over”? Alice sought clarification.

Vivian gave it the grim reality, “For the gangs the person who was the second in command or who kept their eyes open and there head down will step up in their bosses place. They will let the dust settle, give it a few months until the focus is elsewhere. Then the gangs will start to reorganise. For a time, North-port can focus inwards and keep the crime down. But eventually those resources will be need to be kept watching the walls. The guards won’t be able to keep a track on the criminals, they will have larger problems”.

Alice was not so sure of that outcome, “Magic could be the answer, if we had check points ... with appraisal tomes it would be a quick easy way to spot criminals”. Martin spoke next arguing with her “They looked into doing that at good ford, it’s the same issue we don't have enough resources to implement it”. “What are you saying”? the argument bounced back. “We don't have the manpower to guard the cities from the vampires and to crack down on elements like the hidden hand or the red blades of Saul”.

Alice looked despondent, “so your saying we were only able to have this victory. Because of the extra guards to deal with the trade negotiations. Because we wiped out the three biggest local threats first, the lich the sorcerers and the vampire prince”? “Yes, that's a good way of putting it”.

Vivian was in agreement with Martin, “if we ever want to win a war against crime, we need to win the war against the vampire masters first”. David had a grasp of what would happen next. “An independent gang or one of the other large ones takes everything back over, though not the hidden hand. When people are finished their sentences a few months of hard labour. Then it will start when the veteran criminals and enforcers are back in circulation”.

Alice slowly looked to the door in the approximate direction of the duchess chambers, “you think the hidden hand will go for the duchess?” Vivian was certain, “if they did the entire noble class and the entire triune would be going for them. They risk what happened in North port happening all over the north, if the hidden hand made themselves appear the bigger threat. Then the triune would target them, and they are not as tough as any vampire”.

David grinned sure of himself, “It would be easy to continues. we know how the hidden hand works; they are no longer hidden. A group of veteran rouges running everything with a leader like the first blade, second blade or whatever. A number of craftsmen like forgers and bookkeepers providing the expertise they lack. A number of stable profitable crime enterprises that fund everything. With a few high number low level gangs as eyes and ears, they rely on controlling a network a small number of high-ranking gang members to maintain that network, you pull it apart and they collapse”.

Vivian burst his bubble, “they will change now, perhaps bring in some intermediaries so that it is harder to find everything out. Probably they will be very quiet for a while, they just lost one of the biggest cites”. Alice was concerned, “will they come …for us”? Martin dismissed the notion, “I don't think they will want to risk the wrath of four exalted masters, I think that they have learned that lesson”.

Martin was pretty certain of another matter, but he turned to Alice to confirm his belief, “so did you gain a supreme skill”. Alice shared this sensitive information with her colleagues, “a supreme spell power unending, it has a week recovery time but for five minutes …I can effectively have infinite mana. I could power a spell like mana lance duel cast and just keep going into a target. Not worrying about how much mana I was using”.

Martin could see the potential weapon, “that sounds perfect for taking down a high-level target like Bismark, between my chain smite and your spells we could end him”. Alice had wisdom she could look at it objectively, “it has its limitations I would suggest we need to have an opponent who cannot easily get away. Most powerful monsters could avoid such attacks by backing off until my ultimate runs out. For example, I have seen vampires retreat from your chain smite, breaking the attack then coming back, it would have to carefully used”.

“There are downsides, it also drains all my mana when it’s over. So, I would be hit with mana fatigue straight away and there is a backlash that would deplete about a third of my hit points. If I was wounded, it might be enough to …finish me off. If I was not paying attention, and if I was badly wounded, I would probably not be paying attention”.

Vivian looked over Alice thinking, “you could have a sand or clockwork timer that allows you to count down five minutes, that way you could prepare. As long as you carry a mana potion with you then you are able to recover enough to keep going right”.

“I see where you’re coming from, that seems a practical solution. If I cast my healing …aura at the last second before I run out of mana the healing effect of the spell would last. even if my mana was gone”. Martin remembered her fainting in a fight with a giant rat, “what about the mana fatigue at your level would it be enough to knock you out”? “I am not sure …I have deliberately depleted my mana when I was trying to get to sleep and I dozed off quickly. If I was not exhausted the mana fatigue would probably not be enough” her reaction was measured.

Vivian wondered, “Have you ever heard of a similar supreme spell”. “No, other mages that have described their supreme spells normally have a spell with fewer downsides and fewer advantages. One I have seen documented was a unique supreme spell that could be used a once a day. With no drain or backlash called elemental barrage, it allowed the mage to throw a barrage of attacks with fire ice and shock damage once a day”.

Alice was sure from her reading, “each different exalted master gets a spell blessing or martial technique unique to themselves, moulded as an expression of their combined ability's. Martin wanted to lash out an destroy his opponents in his zealot’s wrath. So, he has a supreme blessing that allows him to do that. To condense his wrath his ire into one blow at close range correct”, “yes I would not deny it”.

Vivian could see the logic in it, “your reasoning holds with what we have seen, lexicons duplicitous nature gave him the ability to literally swap himself with another. To change places to change his position. That speaks back to his psychology, when he was a man from what we read of his human life. The archanist called the professor his upgrade ability it came from his desire to make stronger constructs”. Alice's texts told a similar story, “the mage that had elemental barrage. A third of his spells were from each type of element, it made sense it reflected his ability’s”.

David was a little annoyed at being left behind, he deliberately perused certain questions. “what do you think this supreme says about you”? Alice laid certain things bare, “I won’t sugar coat it, when we started getting stronger, I thought about a reason to keep growing. I want to change the tower system, It’s a gilded cage. I wanted power enough to sit on the towers ruling council. Power to change things. That literally manifested into a supreme spell that delivers nothing but power, enough to show monsters like Bismark a thing or two. I also understand that power has a price, a push back this is reflected in my ability”.

They moved on, “what about you Vivian”? “I gained a martial art two-mile shot. I can use it once a day, one shot that deals significant physical damage”. David grinned, “that does not sound a bad ability the range is fantastic next time we see that professor he is dead”. Martin spoke warmly, “oh yes that reflects your fighting style precisely. You focused on nothing but your bow, so you gained a supreme that would reflect that”.

David wanted to see it in action, “Do you want to test it out”. Vivian could use hers while Martin and Alice kept them at bay. “yes, later on if you get an old shield or bit of wood up on one of the towers, I can try it”. Alice grinned, “the base damage your ability has will be complemented …by your bow. A critical hit, the type of arrow you use. If you use an adrenalin power shot as well”. Vivian was cautiously optimistic, “it can’t hurt to try it out, but with an arrow I am not going to miss breaking”.

Something jelled in Martins mind, “what did you say the maximum range on it was”? “Two miles why do you ask”? “You said that the mithril site on your bow could be adjusted up to two miles correct”? “Yes, I must admit I thought that it was absurd at the time. But now it makes me wonder”. “you have not used any other weapon apart from that bow for the last month, I think the weapon has moulded you”. Cautiously she nodded, “I will grant you that is a bit odd but it’s a good weapon”.

David felt left out he wondered what he would gain when he reached level 100. Some technique with his sword perhaps or something defensive with his shield. Perhaps something that balanced the two out. Vivian reassured him with a look, there discussion over they drifted apart.

David set up target for Vivian to fire at a plank of wood lodged in one of the towers. Almost unconsciously she chose to use her supreme martial art. She adjusted the bow site to its maximum, her golem eye focused as far out as it could. She saw where she wanted the arrow to hit. Her hands moved in a blur and a cheap iron arrow was sent flying with far more force than its creator could have ever envisioned. It pretty much Vaporised the plank of wood and arrow into a cloud of splinters, it was scarily effective, then she remembered Martin doing something similar with his supreme blessing with just his fist.

Alice went to the local chapter of the mages tower. She had other research to do. In a small secure section of books previously out of bounds to her she could look up one of the most powerful spells. The book was titled destroying flame, it was a teaching manual for the improvement of the mana lance spell. She could learn the improved version of the greater mana lance spell. It would deal nine times her basic caster level per second. For the cost of 5 mana per second. It would take her weeks or months, but she would master it. It was a lot of damage if she could land it.

Martin met up with them at the tavern, they joined with their squads for the last time officially. They drank to the men who were no longer with them. One by one candles were put out for the poor idiots who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and the guards doing their duty. It was a mark against the duchess that she didn't lead the group to make an official memorial wake. The numbers of the dead were small, but they should be remembered and honoured. The sheriff at least joined them with ghost making a brief appearance. Martin sighed, “sometimes only true monsters win, after all that they still live”.