I was on a flaming plateau once again. It was darker and hotter. Creatures were crawling toward me screaming and banging their heads on the floor. A creature with pale skin stretched over a body like a crab and a neck like a vulture crept out from the rocks. It screeched and I kicked it in its bulbous head. It latched on with broken teeth to my toes and bit them off my foot. I screamed and hopped back from it nearly teetering off the edge. The hot surface of the stone floor boiled up the blood.

Something with tentacles reached up from the darkness below and wrapped around my ankle. My good foot swept out from beneath me and I felt a wet maw with sharp teeth wrap around my ankle. The crunch was like a dog devouring a chicken bone.

Furious Feline

Mana 19

My Soul Skills worked in the pit! I scrolled through the list as I scrambled to a safe corner. I closed my eyes and focused on the Mana ball swirling in my chest.

Carapace Skin

Mana 17

Something large wrapped around my waist and lifted me. I opened my eyes and looked in the face of a giant man-like creature. He had the head of a man but the body of a bear with large hooks for hands that looked like brown crab legs curled back to his forearms. One was crushing my spine to his wrist.

I searched my list, but I had no attack spells. What kind of idiot spell caster has no attack spells? First thing on my list when I get back. He raised me to his melting face, and I dug all four hands into his cheeks. I put my bloody calf stump against his throat and my half-eaten foot in his pit for an ear. His breath smelled like the back end of a trash truck and his angry roar was like boulders crashing in his throat. I freed one hand and reached in to grab his searing tongue. I yanked it out with a sound like ripped denim.

His claw released and I smacked down on the stone-hard enough to knock the wind from my lungs. My eyes were growing blurry, and I knew I was about to go through the cycle of melting the balls from my sockets only to regrow again. What was it about this place that made me heal so fast? Was it just so I could feel it all over again? I crawled toward the cliff wall and batted away some bald bird-like creatures pouncing in for a nibble.

Something bit into my calf, but I kicked free and pulled myself upright against the wall. I grabbed on with all four hands and began to climb up like a rope climber without legs. I didn’t even bother to dig my foot and stump in. I climbed hand over hand with all four arms like a spider up the wall. Trepidation was my friend. It made me a climbing maniac. I found I could fling myself upward a couple of yards and scramble again for a few strides before leaping again. Even when my eyes boiled out of my face and my tongue caught fire I climbed.

“You son of a beach ball!” Tootsie screamed but I couldn’t see her as my eyes hadn’t regrown yet. “You killed me!”

I couldn’t talk as my tongue was now jerky in my mouth. I could feel flames licking up the flesh in my skull. Soon my ears popped, and her annoying voice was covered over by an incessant ringing sound. One of my arms went limp and I wondered if I was climbing at an angle. I decided to lean more to my right side in hopes of straightening out.

Then my eyes returned, and I saw the respawn plate glowing cool ahead. I lurched for it and saw Tootsie crawling toward it as well. We reached the plateau as fish out of water flopping around and using every body part, we had to toss ourselves to safety. I used my teeth on one thrust. Then I kicked Tootsie back with one foot and rolled onto the plate.

I could almost hear the harps of the angels as I landed on the cool metal. It was like a bottle of jack to a thirty-day sober alcoholic. I could have cried but I looked up to see Goar and Mia looking down at me with blue light filtering through the leaves.

Fifth Ascension 1900 exp.

Level 45 reached

“That was brilliant Magus.” Goar said in his deep bravado. “You drew all those little people to yourself to save us all. I thought we would have to shoot and stab our way out of this forest, but your plan worked perfectly. None of us got a scratch on us. Would have been better though if you hadn’t died.”

“All part of the plan Goar.” I sat up my head was pounding. I saw the respawn dagger at my feet.

“You’re both idiots,” Mia said. “Why didn’t you let us help? You could have slowed down at least. I would have used the fire power before they covered you from head to toe as well.”

“Good idea.” I stood and stretched. “Did you say we were out of the forest?”

“Yeah,” Goar pointed. “I walked over there earlier. There is a canyon over the next hill and a lot of soldiers on each side. Some kind of war going on down there. Looks like the canyon and the war goes on for miles. You were gone a long time, so we started setting up camp. Shia is already doing her creepy statue thing.” He shook off the willies.

“You pushed me away from the respawn plate!” Tootsie shrilled in my ear. “All the things.” I swatted at her, but she dipped back her little wings buzzing angrily. “See if I am so eager to help you next time.”

“Help me!” I screamed back, “you told me I had to say flame on!”

Tootsie laughed. “Genius, you looked like a cat with his tail on fire. You should have heard the sounds you were making batting at yourself like a mental patient and throwing flames into the dark.” She covered her eyes with her hands and rolled back in the air with a belly laugh. “You were jumping up and down. Screaming things, a drunk sailor would cover his kids' ears over. I wish I could do it again. Aw man, why?” She wiped tears from her eyes again.

I pulled the dragon mask from my pouch and slid it on. She had her back on, so I blew.

Dragon Mask Depleted 15 hours remaining

I nearly crushed the thing as I peeled it off and stuffed it back in my pouch.

“I am going to my tent,” I growled. I would have to get some offensive spells. Then I would practice them on the evasive little hummingbird.

Orc

Magus Barker

Chief Barker

Pig Face

Level 45

Cost 3 SP

Strength: 29 Hunger 09

Dexterity: 11 Thirst 04

Charisma: 5 Entertainment 02

Intelligence: 18 Concentration 08

Manna: 20 Shelter 07

Constitution: 17 Energy 10

Perception: 15 Hygiene 03

Exp: 45,838

Soul Points: 25

Path of the Battle Mage:

Cost 12 SP

Spells: D grade Kinetic Pull

F grade Kinetic Gravity Grenade

Skills: Furious Feline E grade: cost 1 mana,

Dex: +6, Claws, time: 1 hour

Carapace Skin: +4 Constitution,

Cost: 2 Mana, time: 1 hour

Phantom Cloak: Cover a target area of three square-meters for 7 minutes (Stage 2)

Cost: 2 Mana

Mana Manipulation: F grade

Beast Bond: F grade

Coin:

$3,640

Gear:

Shade Tail and Spine

World Map

rope, disguise kit, leather worker tools, 3 healing potions, and F grade datura poison.

Dragon face mask: throw flames for thirty seconds once per day, immunity to fire while wearing.

Brass Knuckles Strength +10%

Boots +1 armor

Ring of Rejuvenation +1 constitution per minute until full