Requirements Met: Study Spell Tome while while possessing at least (10) Soul while less than Player Level (10). Gain Passive Spell ? This Ability occupies (2) basic spell slots. Available Basic Spell Slots (2 of 2). Yes/No

War Mage (1/1) *New

Cost: N/A

Basic Spell Slots: 2

-Passively add the Melee Damage bonus from Strength to all Spell Damage.

-Passively add the Spell Damage bonus from Soul to all Melee Damage.

I had finally settled on which spell I wanted to learn after three hours of poring through catalogs with Raj’s amazingly patient guidance. I now knew that there was a hard cap for how many basic (non-world) spells one could learn based on one’s Soul stat. Some spells occupied far more slots than others. I had chosen the ability that would scale the best and fit my methods in the long run. My inflated stats would now be doubly effective whether casting spells or attacking with melee weapons.

After leaving the library on my way out of the guild, the voice of Fraya stopped me just as my hand touched the door handle.

“Mr. Gray! Do you have a moment?” She seemed distraught.

“I do. What is it?” I asked, turning fully to face her.

“An emergency request has come in. I know you aren’t a member, but all of our higher level adventurers are out on requests. Someone able to take out a high level gnoll band like you could surely help. The reward is substantial.” She added at the end, hoping to entice me.

“What’s the request?” I was intrigued, this smelled like good XP.

“The village to the east, Braverton has been finding whole families brutally murdered in their own homes by some powerful creature or creatures.” Fraya explained. “I’m not sure if you can help but I’m asking everyone that seems capable.”

“That village is on my way anyways, I’m heading east in the morning. I’ll see what I can do.” I assured her with a nod. The conversation seemed so game-like that I was surprised there was no giant ’!’ floating over her head.

“Thank you... I know this is so selfish of me to ask, but could you please go there sooner? I have some dear friends in Braverton and the thought of them being-” She stopped as she began to choke on emotion.

“So be it. You owe me though.” I didn’t have many reasons to refuse, and maybe I’d get a date out of the deal.

* * * *

That night on the outskirts of the village of Braverton, nestled in the fork where the great Kelghast river became the Twin Viper rivers a small family of cat folk were turning in for the night.

The parents - young adult cat folk in their mid forties stayed up after putting their twin children to bed. Twins and triplets were very common among beast folk, and their son and daughter were only seven years old. They were too young to know that behind the loving smiles and happy laughter, their parents were in the grip of absolute dread and horror.

They sat in the main room of the small log house and held each other shivering as the sound of blood curdling howls split the silence for the third night in a row. This particular family raised cattle for milk and meat. Living on the northern edge of the village, somewhat sheltered against the bank of the northern Viper river had spared them the horror of the previous nights thus far. Whatever was plaguing Braverton always began to attack a single home when the moon was at its peak and fled before the dawn. Tomorrow they would flee for Filam. If they could just be spared one more night...

Before the attacks began, the Kaelica family had finally begun to really prosper. Their new bull (a late wedding gift from a distant relative) was a prize that promised many future generations of strong animals. The happy couple Ander and Luana had decided to ignore the pleas of the village leadership to shelter in the somewhat distant town hall, and stay to protect their animals which were their entire way of life. How they regretted that choice now.

The howls were unnatural. They were deeper, and carried far longer than a normal wolf howl. There must have been many creatures making the noise based on the variations, and they were closer than they had ever been this night. Waves of involuntary chills ripped through the poor couple as they prayed with all their might that they might be spared just once more. They both acted at once, going to rouse the children, but as it turned out they didn’t need to.

“Mama. We’re scared.” A tiny voice came from the entry to the twins’ room. Their son Tyren had spoken, he clutched a small fleece blanket in one hand and held his wide eyed sister’s hand in the other. They both had been affected by the howls tonight for the first time.

“Come here.” Luana said gently to them. She swiftly wiped a tear from her eye and smiled. It was time to plan for the worst. She nodded to Ander, who sighed and coughed softly to cover a sob.

“Ty, Niiya. We’re sorry but we need you two to be brave. Something bad might happen tonight. We’re going out to the cellar to hide. Do you remember like we practiced?” Ander knelt before his children, looking them in their eyes as they quickly filled with tears and confusion.“Quiet as the cotton field, small as a mouse? Remember?”

“I ‘member.” Tyren wiped his eyes and tried to look strong. Niiya simply stood with her lower lip shaking, her feline ears drooping.

“Now, dress in your warm clothes and wait by the back door. Hurry!” A howl that must have been just a hundred yards from the house spurred Luana to action. She ushered her children back to their rooms where they quickly began to cry softly as they obeyed.

A few minutes later and they were all bundled and ready. Ander clutched an antique spear awkwardly. It had belonged to his father, a warrior of some renown that had died in battle while Ander was just a boy. Ander himself was no warrior, and had sworn himself to a life of peace, vowing that he would not abandon his family as his father had.

As they gathered by the back door, a sound from beyond the front of the house made them freeze. A deep bellowing moo was followed by the sound of a tremendous, splintering impact. The barn.

Ander held a finger to his lips, and crept to the tiny hole by the door used to peek out at visitors or potential dangers.

The dirt lot beyond the small front porch was bathed in bright blue moonlight, as was the large barn just thirty yards beyond that where the dozen cows and new bull slept. The large barn door had been torn away and tossed aside, and standing before the door on its hind legs surrounded by five smaller versions of the same beast stood a terror beyond Anders’ comprehension.

Werewolf. The name had never meant much to Ander, just a common campfire tale to frighten the very young or very dim. The smaller werewolves stood over six feet in height with dark grey fur, long arms that ended at their knees, razor sharp claws, and maws filled with menacing teeth that dripped with hungry saliva. The one that must have been the alpha was easily eight feet tall with ink black fur, and exaggerated canines that extended below its dripping chin. The sounds they made, guttural snarls and excited yips made Ander’s heart lurch. They were communicating, and that scared Ander almost as much as their terrible appearance.

A snort and blast of steam came from just inside the ruined barn door, jarring Ander. He knew they must run but he couldn’t look away as the two ton bull suddenly charged at the massive alpha werewolf. The alpha skidded back five or six feet as the bull’s thick skull crashed into it with the impact of a car crash. The two seemed to freeze for a long moment. The bull’s body quivered with rage and exertion as it was stopped in its tracks and held in place by two clawed hands. Then, with a howl that shook the cabin the alpha twisted its arms. The bull was flipped to its back and all five wolves descended onto it. Horrible tortured sounds echoed for what felt like forever as the pack tore into the bull and feasted, seeming to relish the fact that their prey lived as they ate.

Ander rushed to the back door quietly, opening it softly and leading his family toward the small cellar beside the house. As he bent down to open the hatch, a twig snapped nearby. The entire family froze as a gray werewolf, maw still steaming with the fresh blood of the bull stalked around the corner into view. It was likely sent around to ensure none escaped. It stared them down for a single second before throwing its head back with a loud and high pitched howl.

“Get to the woods!” Ander screamed, all fear gone from his voice. “NOW!” He didn’t bother looking back as he charged the werewolf at a dead sprint.

Luana did as he said, tears streaming down her cheeks as she fled, holding a small hand in each of her own.

“Run! Run!” She said over and over as the sound of her husband fighting for their lives grew distant behind her. She chanced a single glance back, and saw to her horror that a group of three werewolves were in pursuit. There was no way they could all make it.

“Keep going!” She pleaded with her babies as she let go of their hands. “Run and hide! Live for your mommy and daddy! Please get away...” Tyren grabbed Niiya’s hand and thankfully they obeyed. They ran as fast as their tiny legs could carry them. They were good kids. Luana changed direction, running along the forest and screaming at the werewolves to come and get her.

They did come after her, and a few moments later, a filthy swiping claw swept her legs out from under her. Her right ankle was broken, and her death was imminent but she did not cry out. She grimaced as they fell upon her. She would not let her screams haunt her children. Luana died bravely, and quietly in the fields behind her home.

Ander’s brave charge was worthy of praise. He bought his fleeing family a full four seconds. Unfortunately in a world of stats and powers, emotions did very little to even the odds. The spear was sharp, of decent quality, and the man wielding it was reasonably strong from a life of hard farming. The tip of the spear penetrated the werewolf’s gray hide just enough to illicit a small grunt and draw a drop of blood.

A single heavy swipe sent Ander’s head flying a dozen yards. Mercifully the force of the blow also sent his brain instantly unconscious as death took him.

Tyren pulled Niiya along as she struggled to keep up. She was weaker than him, due to a terrible illness she had suffered the previous summer. Her body had never quite recovered and all the adrenaline and exertion had left her tiny lungs burning and her body too weak to run.

Tyren looked around the elm forest desperately, adrenaline pounding. He spotted a wide trunk, half rotted with a hollow beneath it barely large enough for one of them to squeeze under. He pulled Niiya to the tree and told her to crawl inside as far as she could and be silent. She numbly did as she was told, too dazed from the terror to argue. She squeezed into the tiny space as Tyren furiously covered the hole with dead leaves and dirt. Seconds later she could hear him freeze. Low growls and heavy footsteps came next. A few fast footfalls as Tyren must have tried to run led to a pathetic cry and quick crunching snap. The scream that followed tore Niiya’s heart asunder and she covered her mouth as a fresh wave of hot tears stung her eyes. Suppressed sobs racked her as the sounds of crunching and slurping tormented her flattened ears.

She wanted to die, but that desire couldn’t overcome her terror. The horrid sounds of werewolves feasting abruptly ceased. Exaggerated sniffing sounds grew closer and closer. Low growls and snarls punctuated the sniffing and loud snorting exhales. One particular exhale was close enough that Niiya’s nose wrinkled in revulsion as a faint whiff of a werewolf’s putrid breath nearly caused her to retch. An excited and deep sniff confirmed her worst fears. They had found her.

Rending claws tore huge chunks of soft dirt away in a flash, exposing the terrified girl. Long wicked teeth sank into her upper arm, and powerful neck muscles ripped her out of the hollow. She was sent flying and into a roll, coming to a halt in a puddle of something lukewarm and gummy. Her mangled arm radiated agony and poured blood freely. Her dazed vision focused on something. A small severed hand, barely bigger than her own was lying just in front of her face in a pool of dark blood amid scattered gore covered bones. Any second now she would be torn apart just like Tyren. The thought comforted her and she closed her eyes.

“White Nova.” A strange voice rang out, so out of place that Niiya’s eyes opened once more. A blast of cold air washed over her, and silence followed. She lifted her head weakly, and saw what was happening, though she couldn’t make any sense of it.

All three of the monsters that had killed her brother were frozen, literally coated in a sheen of bluish white ice and stuck in place. Walking with unnatural looking fluidity and speed up to one of them and holding a dull colored dagger was a human with dark hair that shone blue in the light of the full moon. Purple lines of energy traced randomly over the man’s body. With no hesitation and no mercy, the dagger plunged into the chest of the first werewolf. Its body crumbled into large frozen chunks. Before even two seconds had passed, the other two also collapsed into similar piles.

“Fuck. Not kids. Not fucking kids...” The strange words reached her ears, the voice was full of lament and Niiya could barely make out a tear on the man’s cheek as her vision blurred and narrowed to a small pinhole from blood loss.

“Oh my god, you’re alive!?” The voice was fading now. Niiya was dimly aware that someone was holding her. It was warm.

“Stay with me!” The voice’s urgency made her fight for a moment. “You have to swallow this, please you can do it! I know you can!”

Something rested on her lip, and something cool and tasteless flooded her mouth. With the last of her waning strength Niiya swallowed whatever it was. Life and vigor poured into her body in a rush. Consciousness overwhelmed her and she came to.

She was being carried in the strange man’s arms. The pain of her wounds and her exhaustion were both simply gone. He was running fast. With her regained wits she could tell that he was heading back in the direction of the farm.

“No! That’s where the monsters are!” She protested, squirming.

He stopped, and looked down at her. His eyes were so full of kindness and resolve that Niiya stopped fussing and simply stared.

“You are safe now.” He promised, his tone one of pure finality and utter confidence. Niiya didn’t fight any further.