The terrain through the gorge was rough to traverse. Brambles, ferns and other hardy bushes slowed our progress dramatically in our effort to keep out of sight. We had kept the Nystiobeks in their Human forms for an effort at stealth, though after half an hour of extremely slow progression, I had Grastad and the other Nysti adopt their bear forms and take the lead.

As the gorge began to shallow out, the plant life became more sparse, removing our cover and it turned out that our efforts had been a waste of time as around twenty Paladins of Justice watched us from above. We didn't fire and neither did they. Though they began to move closer. Close enough to be heard and for me to make out the Identifier of the leader of the group.

Rigel Mollin: First Rank Justiciar: Level 122 Losala (Losalfar III)

Our old friend from the trullan village. I dearly wanted to batter him.

“You can run from this battle, but you will not escape us forever, Clive.”

“Come down here and say that you bellend,” I replied.

“Why? Would you like to be neutralized again?” he asked with a sly smile.

“If you thought you could take us, you would take us. Now fuck off.”

“I’m afraid not. You will never be free of the shadow of justice, Clive. Not until you are Judged and sent to the afterlife to be punished for eternity. If you surrender and repent, you have a chance at life. “You cannot hope to win against the might of Justice.

“I'm not trying to win against Justice you idiot. I'm trying to save innocent people from all you arseholes. You’re killing kids you so if you think it’s me who needs judging you need your fucking head looking at.”

Rigel laughed. “Nonsense. The people of this land are all neutrals and as such, heathens! You are all heathens, and you will all be charged in time.”

“Did you already try that already?” I laughed. Then turned to back to my people and spoke loudly. “Come on. We’re wasting our time listening to this idiot. More shit comes out of his mouth than his arse.

“Watch out!” Sania warned. I spun to see Rigel flying down quickly, his paladins hot on his heals. Activating Singularity vision as they approached, I watched as a silvery green power grew in his hand. It hadn’t been visible to the naked eye, but I couldn’t help but smile as I pushed on it with my mind.

The power dissipated from his hand, and I could only assume that was his Neutralize power used up. The look on his face certainly suggested it, as he pulled up and away from us. Wasting no time, I shot an Ethereal blast at him. Only small so as to save time, and I watched it as both white and multi-colored ball flew away from me, glowing almost blindingly to my Singularity vision. It was so small Rigel didn’t even see it coming as it blasted into his trailing leg, blowing it off to his waist and producing a blood-curdling scream.

I continued to throw out very small, condensed balls of Ethereal energy no bigger than a bullet. They were so small and travelled so fast, that they were hard to see and more importantly for the Paladins, to avoid.

Each Paladin that was under one hundred died instantly from the attacks. Those above one hundred needed two.

They all started moving away, and I chased them, though I was really only looking to finish Rigel off.

As I gained on them, silver swirls appeared advertising the building of portals as the Paladins attempted to disappear to safety. I let them go, apart from one. The Paladin clinging on to Rigel, building a portal for them both to escape, though. I blew it away with a force of will, just as they were passing through.

Both of their bodies fell away, cut cleanly, half way through their shoulders. Spiralling in an ungainly fashion as they plummeted to the ground, blood pumping from the open wounds creating a grim example of modern art around where they landed.

“They might want to consider not using portals around me, in the future,” I said laughing as I returned to my friends. Flushed with another important victory.

They didn’t look happy exactly, more in shock. Sania eased my concerns at their reactions. “Clive!” she shouted, slamming into me with a powerful hug. That was amazing. How you made the balls so small and harmless looking. I could barely see them, and they travel so fast too!”

“You stopped the Justiciar escaping as well!” Danivra added coming over as we landed. “I can't understand why he didn’t Neutralize us again.”

“He tried, but I neutralized his Neutralizer!” I laughed.

“Then that was a far more powerful showing than even I realized. You are far more powerful since you came back from Delosha.”

“Didn’t have much choice to be honest. I wouldn’t have made it back if I didn’t push everything at my disposal.”

“Do we even need to go inside the tunnels?” Grastad asked. “Could you not kill them all?”

“I’m certainly feeling strong enough right now, but no. Too many of them.”

As I spoke to the eager Nysti, my vision was awash with notifications:

Congratulations. You defeated a Level 78 Elman 790 Experience Points available.

+10 Bonus Experience Points for every level your opponent was above your own. 120 Experience Points.

Congratulations. You defeated a Level 63 Losalfar for 630 Experience Points available.

Congratulations. You defeated a Level 91 Losala for 910 Experience Points available.

+10 Bonus Experience Points for every level your opponent was above your own. 250 Experience Points.

Congratulations. You defeated a Level 122 Losala for 2220 Experience Points available.

+10 Bonus Experience Points for every level your opponent was above your own. 560 Experience Points.

Hero for the ages! Epic Achievement!: You struck the killing blow against a foe at least 25 levels above your own. 1000 Experience points.

Total Experience Points 6450

congratulations you have levelled 67

congratulations you have levelled 68

“Two levels!” Sania proclaimed as I refocused. I’m not complaining, and you definitely deserved it, but when everyone else’s leveling slows as they develop, yours seems to be speeding up!”

“Yeah, sorry. I'll try and start leaving a few enemies for you to finish off.

“Don’t be foolish Clive. You need the levels the most out of anyone.”

“We’ll see. For now we should get moving, away from this,” I said gesturing at the scene.

“What did you allocate your points in?” Sania asked.

“I haven’t yet. You guys want to help?” I asked Sania and Danivra as we set off walking again.

“What are your present stats?” Danivra asked.

I informed them both of what I was packing, and they both took on serious expressions as they mulled over the possibilities. I pretty much knew what I would go for, but I was happy to hear them out. “I’d probably do whatever they suggested, because apart from Charisma and Ethereal Awareness they were all useful enough.”

After a short while, Danivra shrugged. “I honestly think you have been making the right decisions in regard to power, Clive. What do you think will benefit you most?”

“I agree,” Sania said.

“Pair of bloody cop outs,” I laughed. “Honestly, all my physicals could do with boosting, but as we’ve seen time and time again, there’s nothing more powerful than a good decision. Which is my way of saying Intelligence.”

“The only other thing I would say would be Internal connection, so you have plenty of reserves,” Sania added.

“Yeah,” I mused, maybe I should. “I definitely think that Natom was taking the piss for some reason when he told us not to invest in Internal Connection too much.”

“I think it best if we don’t use any of Natom’s advice. With hindsight, it was all very questionable.”

“Definitely. And with that in mind, I will boost Internal connection.

Physical statistics:

Strength: 70

The capacity to exert and resist force.

Dexterity: 28

Skill and ease in hand-based activity.

Agility: 76

How effectively the body can move into a range of different positions.

Speed: 70

Rate at which the body can move.

Stamina: 58

Period over which the body can effectively sustain prolonged activity.

Constitution: 218

The ability to withstand physical punishment.

Mental Statistics:

Intelligence: 65

Knowledge and its application

Charisma: 38

Charm, coerce, inspire.

Perception: 66

Awareness of surroundings

Spiritual Statistics:

Ethereal Awareness: 0

Attunement with the Gods and spirits of Gulithea. (Necessary for Ethereally supplied magical ability.)

Internal Connection: 75

Attunement with oneself. (Necessary for cultivation of one’s own inner power)

Singularity: 25

Innate understanding of universal essence (Neuma). Will increase with personal level. (Cannot be leveled by other means.)

World sense: 8.12% Knowledge of Gulithea.

Experience Points to next level: 70/3400

With that done, everything became a little clearer again. I always enjoyed raising Intelligence further. It was strange feeling for me to instinctively make more right decisions than wrong. Very strange indeed.

Sania and I took to the air for the rest of the journey, and we saw no one else. I knew there would be some kind of repercussions for killing so many high-level Justice followers, but they seemed to be aware of the danger now. I’d be surprised if any of them ever portaled anywhere near me ever again.

Their ability to neutralize powers was impressive. But I preferred my ability to snuff out their powers individually. Especially those damn portals.

The ruins came into view about half an hour after the battle. Apart from the occasional broken rectangle jutting into the horizon, there were no other distinguishable shapes beyond dark orange coloured rubble mound.

“We’ve not seen any other buildings with that color rock in Kalabri,” I said through the bond to Danivra. “What gives?”

“This place is very ancient, and I am speaking from the view point of a Dokalfar.”

“So you didn't know anything about them? The people who lived here?”

“Nothing. The place is said to be haunted and that is why nobody inhabited the area again, but I do not believe that is the case. There is a definite, strange resonance in that surrounds the place. A relic of one of the earliest races of elves, perhaps. Nobody knows for sure.”

“Weird. Even more so that they havent been covered. So how are they still here? Why are they not like underground now, buried by the passage of time?”

“That goes back to the resonance. I can feel it once inside the city, but I cannot distinguish it.”

“So you’ve actually physically been here, then?”

“I have. There are many interesting places across the land of Kalabri and I have visited most in my studies. All before I was queen of course.”

“Nice. Surprised they let you wander around if you were a future queen.”

“I wasn’t expected to become queen. At birth, I was over one hundred places away from the Helvien Seat.”

“Well shit, that sounds like a story all of its own.”

“Hopefully one day we will share many stories and times of peace and calm.”

“We can dream,” I replied overly my vision again with Singularity. To my surprise I saw a shimmering orange shield covering the area.

“You were right about the ruins.”

“How so?” Danivra replied.

“It's covered by a dome of some kind. I’ve not seen the type of energy yet. But that doesn’t mean much. I haven’t seen much of the world yet.”

“You can see the energy. This is new Clive. I have heard no reports that there is a visible shield. Can you give me any more details?”

“Uhm, beyond it being an orange dome? No, not really. Maybe once we enter.”

“Very well. I would be interested to know what you see here.”

“Sure “ I replied.

We fell silent as we drew closer. There was a subtle pressure in the air, and I shivered a little as we enter the dome where the pressure grew notably more oppressive. It had no effect my flight or other powers that I could sense.

I tried to push the energy with my power and even though I was pushing at the air. Rubble below moved. Those around me all jumped to attention. Weapons drawn. claws extended, fists raised in the case of some of the unfortunate weaponless goblins.

“Sorry everyone, it was me fucking about. Won't do it again,” I shouted down. “The coast is clear.”

“We moved off once again and I wanted to mess with the energy again, but I knew it wouldn’t go down well. I explained to Sania and Danivra what had happened across the bond, and that the concentration of power that created the dome was most potent in the center of the ruined city.

“You want to go and investigate?” Sania asked.

“Does a bear shit in the woods,” I joked.

“We all do Clive,” Sania replied deadpan.

“Yes we do, Sania. And yes, I want to inspect further, though I don’t know how dangerous this thing is. I should tread carefully with it. I…”

“DOWN HERE!” Egard shouted from below, emerging from an orange-colored door.

“Maybe another time then,” I sighed. “More pressing things to deal with.”