Emett:

Begin Battle Preparations

Okay, I guess we’re doing this. Just as we planned. Doing battle with actual human beings. Just have to be sure not to kill them. This is wonderful.

Lyn started bouncing in place, as did the mercenaries and the Apostate. I sighed, and began my own walk.

“What,” Aston said. “What is everyone doing?”

“Remember those patch notes?” I said. “Combat won’t start until we do, and keep on the blue squares.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Aston said.

“Yes,” I said, “it is.”

“I’m not doing that,” he said.

I sighed again. “You have to, and I already took all the indignation out on it. Let’s...just get going.”

Aston begrudgingly began to shuffle his feet.

Engage

It looks like the first turn was mine again. The blue squares expanded across the field, leaving me with some options. I still didn’t really have a weapon, though with what skills I had already, that didn’t seem like too much of a hindrance. Still, it would probably be best to hide behind the mercenaries and let them take the hits, and bombs, this time.

The lack of control involved in the Evocation with the wolves had been… less than ideal, so I decided to try a different angle this time.

“Elemental spirits, hear my call!” I shouted. I could absolutely get used to these theatrics, they were absolutely amazing. “Grant me the strength to crush my enemies!”

Desperate Invocation

Rocks flew from the earth to my hands, shifting, breaking and fusing, until they came into the form of an earthen sword and shield. That was much better than a stick. A gravelly voice entered my thoughts.

I heard you wanted to crush your enemies?

“That’s right, but I’m not exactly trained.” I responded to the voice. “Any advice?”

Hit them with the pointy end. We can go into more advanced techniques when you actually form a pact with me.

Well, then. Elemental spirits are rather surly as a rule, apparently.

I moved as far toward the fire mage as the blue squares would allow, stopping about halfway there. Unless she runs away, I would get to her when I got another turn.

Almost immediately after I had finished my move, the bush next to me rustled ominously. That’s just wonderful, I was probably about to get-

Ambush

A man erupted from the bush, jabbing a knife into my side. Yup, I just got stabbed. It...honestly, it hurt less than the wolves did. The spirit’s influence, perhaps? My suspicions were confirmed when I only lost 3 HP.

Emett HP: 34/37

I found my arm raising without even thinking about it as an arrow came flying from the branches of a tree near the fire mage. The arrow bounced off the shield harmlessly. Had that been the work of the spirit, or more of the Gods’ work? That’d be something to think about, maybe Lyn would have an idea.

A third man came out of the bushes, swinging a sword at me, as the flaming hands of the mage started flaring again. Fantastic.

I started to wonder if I had any allies in this fight, or if I was doing battle with this entire squad of bush people entirely on my own, when I heard footsteps approach from behind. My shield raised to block a small gout of flame as the enemy swordsman slashed at my stomach, dealing 2 damage. Out of the corner of my eye, a pair of swords rained down on the dagger-wielding Apostate who had jumped out to my left.

Emett HP: 32/37

Okay, this was nice. This was a lot better than summoning an angry fire lizard in the sky.

A chill ran down my spine as I realized who had not yet done anything. I was also surrounded by enemies again. Oh, no, Lyn, please do not. Do not do the thing.

Mystic Shot

Oh, right, Aston’s here too! Wonderful!

A blast of purple energy to my left sent the man with a dagger flying into the air, skipping along the ground a couple of times before coming to a halt on the empty area between where I was doing battle with the swordsman and the mage and archer.

“Hey!” I shouted. “No killing!”

“He’s fine,” Aston said. A groan confirmed it.

So that would just leave Lyn, and I hoped she didn’t throw a bomb at me.

Set Up

Okay, that was concerning. I think I’d have preferred the bomb.

The blue squares blossomed out again, informing me it was my turn. The two guys with range didn’t seem to be having a particularly great time with this shield, so I’d just deal with the one remaining guy with a sword. I swung my sword out, remembering the spirit’s helpful advice that the pointy end was for him, not for me.

The man staggered backward, my sword apparently doing much more damage to him than his did to me. It is good to be a Disciple. “Damn it,” he shouted back at the mage. “This guy’s clearly The Bulwark.” I didn’t feel a strong need to correct him. “We weren’t ready for multiple Disciples!”

“I know,” she responded, “But we’re here now. Just do your best and we’ll deal with it!”

Another arrow from the tree, and the shield moved again. This was way too consistent, almost certainly the spirit aiding me. The swordsman slashed at me again, for another 2 damage, and fire gathered around the mage.

She was chanting something I couldn’t quite make out, the blaze around her growing with each word. I raised my shield in anticipation. Slowly, her arm lifted, finger pointing directly at me.

Bunker Buster

A thin beam of flame shot out from her finger, for a moment appearing to dissipate harmlessly on the shield. Then the eruption of fire came, originating from just behind my shield. There were screams from the mercenaries behind me as they fell to the flame, though I managed to keep my feet. Barely.

Emett HP: 10/37

“Emett!” Lyn called out. “Are you okay?”

I groaned. “Yeah, though I don’t think I can take another of those.”

“I’ll give you some room to think.” Aston said, his voice echoing slightly in the air. That was weird.

Mystic Shot

Another blast of purple, and the swordsman in front of me bounced across the dirt to lay next to his dagger-wielding friend.

Aston’s blast was immediately followed by giggling. Oh no.

Firework

Fwoomp.

A trail of smoke suddenly appeared from behind me, into the tree that was spitting arrows. There was a small fire, sounds of panic, and the tree exploded into vibrant blue sparks. A body went flying from the tree, flopping gracelessly onto the ground. The tree caught fire, clearly upset at having explosives fired at it.

“I told you there was offensive capability with those!” Lyn shouted.

“Aye, girl,” Gustav said, “you certainly proved me wrong.”

That left just the fire mage who could probably take me out before I could deal with her. Unless…

“Hey, Lyn,” I said, “any idea what happens to summoned guys when the fight ends?”

“Hrm…” she responded, “they should just vanish harmlessly.”

“Perfect,” I said.

“Denizens of darkness, hear my plea!” I shouted. This was risky, but...I had the feeling I could sneak in one stipulation in this summoning. That would be enough. “Wreak your havoc, but no killing.”

Desperate Conjuration

I turned and ran as far as the blue squares would allow, as the earth opened next to the fire mage. If we were lucky, the demon would have a clear target, defeat it, then whoops, the combat would be over, time for it to go home. Still, better safe than sorry. “Everybody, run!” I shouted. “I can’t control whatever comes out of that!”

Aston looked at me, then the hole in the ground, then back at me, with a look fighting between shock and disapproval. Disapproval won out as the ground shuddered from behind me. When I reached the edge of my movement I turned to look, finding a massive, fur-covered claw sprouting from the ground, the rest of the body evidently too large to fit out of the hole. That was concerning, as the hole was large enough to swallow one of our wagons. This was...rather more than I was bargaining for, honestly. I was hoping for a really buff imp.

The fire mage tried to run, but the claw reached down and knocked her off her feet before she could get away. She fired another of her fire lasers, but the claw seemed entirely unbothered by the explosion. It came down on her, and she stopped struggling.

Victory!

You have reached level 2!

The claw retreated, but the hole did not immediately vanish. Instead, the tip of a very large nose poked out, sniffing.

“I can smell you out there, Meredith.” A deep, gravelly voice came from the hole. “Have you grown tired of running?”

“I…” I started, shaken. Wasn’t he supposed to be gone? “There’s no Meredith here.”

“Hrmph,” the demon snorted. “I’m sure. Hiding behind as frail a man as you, then, is she? Ah, well, her wards are failing, anyway. I’ll just have to get her the old fashioned way.” The nose retreated, and the hole in the ground closed after it.

“That was...ominous,” I said to no one in particular as I slumped to the ground. I really, really needed to get a hang of more controlled summoning abilities, because this was just getting ridiculous.