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This chapter may need more proofing any crits are welcomed.

The Ranger Plane p1

“Three…”

With Ambro shadowing him closely Cassidy charged towards the lapshi.

The splotchy earthen colored aura beast locked its eyes on them and roared. As they charged forwards the floor started to shake violently.

“Careful”

Ambro could feel that some of the lapshi’s life force had been embedded into the large hexagon patterned stones in the floor. Cassidy already in berserk mode had yet to take real notice of the lapshi’s opening move. The floor was shaking, so what? Just like before he had no thoughts of retreat.

Right before Cassidy could step on the trap Ambro stabbed back and down with Soul Branch. He accelerated for a moment when the staff hit the ground behind him. Pushing Cassidy forward before his foot could fall on the hexagon shaped stone probably saved his life.

The Hexagon jumped up behind them with force. At the apex of its jump it began to spin rapidly and then six even sized triangle shards broke loose from the hexagon shooting in all directions. In mid stumble Ambro found his center of gravity and rose Soul Branch up to block.

“Cling~”

“Keep going Cassidy that lapshi can putt its life force in the hexagon stones. We have to stop it before it gets too many going.”

“That would be annoying….really….really annoying… kill…it!”

Stumbling forward before gaining his balance Cassidy once more charged forward. 2 more hexagons shot up and off the floor. The flying shards did not just fly in a straight line. They were controlled by the lapshi’s life force skill on the ranger plane. Seeming to home in on the two invaders these enhanced shards curved and swooped until they ran into something solid.

The further one went along the mysterious way the more control over universal forces one would have. This Lapshi had gained the second plane on the mysterious way.. To compare a lapshi on the first plane could only spread its life force to one other rock form animating one layer of defense and attack. Now as a ranger this lapshi could animate 5 layers.

Raising his hands Cassidy released his first attack and immediately started his second fire orb. The first orb flew fast and skimmed the side of the lapshi exploding from behind it. Pushed forward and badly burnt the Lapshim wa sstill mostly unharmed by the explosion.

Batting away to more triangle shards Ambro urged Cassid forward.

“ Come on we’ll have to get closer to it and fast! “

Looking to the sides two more hexagons were beginning to rise. Cassidy roared with fury but to Ambro he wasn’t moving fast enough. With an additional two hexagons about to split and the threat of more flying around, Ambro made a frantic decision. He would have to kick this beserker.

“Sorry about this Cassidy, if you’re mad take it out on the Lapshi”

Ambro drew back from shadowing Cassidy. Just hopping up a few inches off the stone floor he twisted swinging his center gravity forward. Using the momentum he held on tight to Soul Branch and rammed it into the ground while swing both feet forward.

Cassidy felt himself pushed suddenly between steps. When his foot landed he found himself eye to eye with the Lapshi. Screaming in its face he drew a fire orb into his right hand and thrust it forward into the Lapshi.

The red hot hand struck the Lapshi between the eyes and melted its way to the Lapshi’s core. When Cassidy brought his fingers together grasping the core the Lapshi screamed and fell to the floor. The Lapshi like the stone it putt its life force in floated to move around. Now that core was taken and burned it could no longer live.

All the Hexagons and shards flying around also fell to the floor.

>The Zong Ley Guardian Lapshi has been defeated

> Access to Zong Ley Point: Stone Forest has been granted

Gaining acces to a zong ley point was the equivilant of handing in quests for experience in other games. Only in egress this wasnt so simple.

If this was a typical vr game you woulf start out in a town pick up some easy quests turning them in for a little experience. Those starting out on the mystical way in eGress would have to search for these zong ley points which were all guarded jealously by diffrent types of beasts. In the begining there would bw no other way to advance to the next plane.

Ambro and Cassidy were very lucky to find a zong ley point they could use. For one thing they are rare so to find one immediatley is lucky in itself. Then there is the fact that they found one suitable for becoming a ranger and also guarded by a ranger.

Zong ley points are guarded by and correspond to various levels on the myserious way. So even if you find a zong ley point you may not be able to defeat whatever guards it. Even you manage to defeat the guardians you may find that your training on your path is not enough or that the zong ley point is to weak.

That bieng the case Ambro and Cassidy are the first two to clear a zong ley point. They are also one of the few duos droped from the star gazer ship to actually stick togethere. Beta testers tended to be loners. Even if one or two others were as lucky they were alone and could not overcome the ranger plane guardians.

“Ambro this… this zong ley point is perfect for us.” Ambro had just sat down in attempt to meditate on the zong ley point when Palma appeared.

“Hmm?”

“We of the green aura have a natural affinty for the life and force universal paths. This zong ley point is in sync with those paths and that is why the Lapshi chose to stay and defend this place. Earth elementals use exactly those two paths.”

” So what happens now?”

” You must train here. Use this zong ley point to better absorb life and force energy from the universe.”

“……Ok, why not.”

Ambro closed his eyes and easily entered the state of meditation. He stopped short of astral projection because he wasnt sure how that would work while playing this game.

Once he was completly calm he felt something near his stomach clench and opened his eyes. Ambro found himself inside a large green orb again.

Words appeared in front of him.

PLAYER AMBRO

CURRENT PLAYING SESSION TIME

6 HOURS AND 23 MINUTES

TOTAL REAL TIME SPENT IN eGRESS

52 SECONDS