MAJOR WOUND

Your health has been reduced by 50%

Another hit went through Dallion’s defenses, despite his instances, piercing his left shoulder. A few strikes ago the damage was low enough for Lux to compensate, though that had quickly changed. With every second the trial echo was improving, targeting multiple spots simultaneously. Dallion had faced an all-out attacker, focusing on the body trait. Compared to his current challenge, that seemed like kid’s play. Sadly, that wasn’t the enemy’s greatest advantage.

“You’re getting slow,” trial-Gleam said, changing form. The spike—previously one of the shardfly’s wings—that had punctured his shoulder grew thorns extending in his body, causing additional pain. “In the real world, I’d have pierced your heart.”

Dallion split into instances, attempting to break the illusion. However, for each instance he created, the shardfly created one as well. This is what fighting an equally powerful enemy felt like. In the past Dallion had faced stronger enemies with less skill, or vastly more skilled enemies that were defeated with one hit. There was always an option to focus on their weaknesses. Against the current state of Gleam, the only way to win was to outmatch her, and that proved impossible.

“Spark!” Dallion said, striking at his shoulder. His hope was that with Gleam being of the wilderness, he’d be able to affect her as well.

Before he could manage, the shardfly had pulled out the crystal spike, reverting it back to a wing.

“You’re still not there,” she said, fluttering around. “Best surrender.”

Undoubtedly, she had a point. In his current condition, there was no way he could win. Everything learned so far, all the training, the skill scrolls, and the experience in the wilderness wasn’t enough to succeed in this trial. When evenly matched against an enemy, he remained one step behind.

“Not just yet.” Dallion let go of his harpsisword. The weapon fell to the ground, then disappeared, as it was unsummoned. “Is that what you’re like when you reach your desired level?”

“That’s what you think I am.”

“But is it true?”

“What do you expect me to say? I’m part of your trial.”

“But there’s always a chance that there’s something from the Moons as well.”

“In that case, no. When I reach my level, I’m a lot stronger. Not as strong as a dragon, but enough to take on anything else we saw in the south.”

“That impressive, eh?” Dallion smiled. “I surrender.”

You failed to defeat your fears!

You won’t be able to shape your destiny for another 24:00 hours.

The blue rectangle appeared in front of him. The moment Dallion waved it away, he was back in the wilderness, half a week’s walk from Nerosal. A sensation of hunger went through him, though was quickly suppressed.

You shouldn’t push yourself, dear boy, Nil said. Give it pause before you reach the city.

This was the third attempt at passing the trial and it still had ended in failure. Without question Dallion was improving—he had managed to survive for a full two minutes this time. Even so, his progress seemed painfully slow. And there were ten other levels after this one.

How are the nobles I faced so weak? Dallion looked up at the sky. Three of the moons were shining bright with the rest visible as pale circles in the night. With the level difference, I shouldn’t have had a chance.

The arrogance of the otherworlders, the echo laughed bitterly. Reminds me of someone I used to know a long time ago. He was so skilled in what he didn’t he couldn’t imagine that the others weren’t.

I couldn’t be this good on traits alone. All trials are the same. If an awakened has passed them that means they are strong enough to do so.

True, but also not. Don’t get me wrong. In an official awakened duel, you’d lose in a heartbeat. And I’m not talking about technical disqualification. There are nobles who think so many moves ahead that all your knowledge would be considered pitiful. The problem is imagination. Hunters and awakened present something new. And as sheltered, when facing something new they don’t know how to react. Tell me, the nobles you’ve faced, would you face them again?

Dallion smiled. His victories could be described as flukes at worst and as extreme luck at best. As people learned more about his way of fighting, things were going to get more and more difficult. Maybe that’s why the gorgon siblings had been sent to keep an eye on him. It was entirely possible that they had an echo on them, observing his actions. As usual, the only solution was to get better and fast.

“Gleam, Lux,” Dallion said, as he went to his backpack and took out a thick blanket. “Keep watch. I’ll get some sleep.”

You still need to eat, dear boy. Surviving on a rabbit alone isn’t healthy with the amount of fighting you’re doing.

I’ll be fine, Dallion said. Night, Nil.

His sleep was short and dreamless. Dallion hoped he’d get another chance to talk with Jiroh about matters of concern: her sister, her hunter teacher, the phoenix hunt he had gotten himself involved in. That never happened, nor were there any new cryptic messages from the Green Moon.

The next thing Dallion knew, he was back in the wilderness, warm, but still hungry. A whip blade and a dartbow continued circling the area around him for a few moments longer, before floating to him. There definitely were advantages of having familiars. Ruby had also joined in. Lately, the shardfly was going through a complicated period. Dallion could feel conflicting emotions emanating from it. It was trying to act like the familiars, while it couldn’t match their strength. Sadly, that didn’t have any prospect of changing, though not through lack of trying. As powerful as ruby shardflies were, they weren’t awakened.

Dallion finished the scraps of food he had left, then backed up and continued towards Nerosal. On the way, he asked whatever plants he happened to pass by about animals in the area. For the most part, he received information about small and practically inedible creatures. In the end, though, he was told about a burrow of wilderness rabbits. To non-awakened the creatures were as vicious as dogs. For a hunter, however, they were the perfect source of food.

Sensing Ruby’s urge, Dallion let the shardfly do the hunt. The effort was very much appreciated by the creature, which flew off as fast as its wings could hold him.

You’re risking starvation, Gleam said. Looking at him, he reminds me of Lux in the early days.

Aw, big sis! Lux let out a sad chirp. I was better than that.

A bit. Just a bit.

He still has to learn, Dallion said. Maybe one day I’ll rely on him as I rely on you.

You really think so? Gleam mused. In that case, how about I join him?

Gleam…

Not now. I think he could use seeing me as a shardfly as opposed to imagining me all the time. Besides, it will give me a chance to spread my wings in the real world.

You’re not spreading your wings.

The illusion works on me same as everyone else. I just need to focus a bit more.

There was no way Dallion could say no. Gleam yearned for her old self, back before she was captured and made the guardian of a hand mirror. That was the reason she wanted to level up so badly—the greater her illusion abilities became, the more she could pretend to be what she was in the real world as well as in the realms.

Gleam, have you ever come across aetherbirds? He asked.

No. I’ve seen firebirds, some dragons, but nothing like you’re hunting now. Must be rare and powerful. Something that powerful won’t ever let itself be caught unless it wanted to.

And yet someone caught it, Dallion mused. Or came close.

You’re seen the feather. The creature is curious.

The hunter didn’t have the empathy trait. And if the aetherbird was that curious, why haven’t more hunters seen it? No, there’s something else going on. Dallion looked at the distance. Go keep an eye on Ruby. Don’t jump in to help unless you have to.

The whip blade slid out of its scabbard and transformed into a crystal shardfly that flew off. After a quarter of an hour, Gleam returned, letting Dallion know they had caught enough food. Naturally, she didn’t bother bringing it. As far as she was concerned, Dallion could go and cook it where it lay. Ultimately, Dallion did just that. Using his zoology and art skills, he skinned and butchered the animals almost simultaneously. The shardflies had managed to kill a total of six, which would be considered a healthy amount.

Splitting into instances, Dallion made a small fire to cook the food on. This was enough to attract the attention of pretty much anything in miles. Yet, it wasn’t an animal or even a creature of the wilderness that approached. Instead, it was a pair of people Dallion had met before.

“Have enough to share?” The first of the gorgons approached. “I’d offer to share some drink, but I doubt you’d accept.”

“You’d poison your target?” Dallion asked, making a sign to the gorgon to join him.

The other smiled, but didn’t respond. He was joined by the other gorgon. Unlike his brother, the second gorgon maintained a serious expression. No emotions came from either of the two. Still, Dallion could hear several of their weapon guardians whisper threats in his direction. It was slightly unusual, suggesting that the weapons had been with the gorgons for quite some time.

“Didn’t expect you’d leave the province,” the first gorgon said, half of the snakes focusing on the meet at the fire. “Glad to see you back.”

“I wasn’t going to run, if that’s your fear.”

The younger gorgon stifled a snort.

“Good to know. I was afraid that someone might have killed you. That would have ended our contract.”

“Touching.” Dallion narrowed his eyes.

“You were a bit sloppy in Linatol. Also, whoever was hired wasn’t local. We couldn’t find any of them. Not even a trace. Almost as if they vanished.”

“Maybe they had,” Dallion looked at the gorgon. “Or maybe it was you.” He took one of the sticks of meat and took a bite. It had a deep, almost bitter aftertaste. “What do you really want?”

“We’ve been told to give you a message. The powers that be seem to think that you have a chance of finding the phoenix. If you do, it might be a better idea to change clients.”

That was unexpected. Dallion knew that in the games of nobles everything went, but he didn’t think that the Archduke would offer to flip him, of all people. Of course, there was no way to be sure who had hired them. With both of them having blocking items, it was difficult to tell whether they were lying or not, and even if they weren’t, there was no guarantee they hadn’t in turn been lied to.

“You’ll have more protection than Countess Priscord and better opportunities, so to speak.”

“Hunters don’t change sides.”

“You’re not used to this, so I’ll help you out. You’ll only get one chance to change sides. Once a rejection is made, it’s final and you’ll sink with your ship.”

“Only if my noble sinks.”

“Your noble doesn’t care about you. You’re the sacrificial pawn. Our client gives you enough credit to consider it possible. Think about that.”

“And I must give you my answer now?”

“Nope.” The gorgon stood up, moving away from the fire. “You don’t have to tell us anything. If you go back to Nerosal you’d have chosen the countess. But if you go to Linatol, it’ll be clear you’ve decided to go against her. Pick one or the other, it’s all the same to us. We were just hired to convey the message.”

A novel approach.

“And if I pick neither?”

“Sooner or later you’ll have to pick a side. Until you enter any of those cities, you’ll be considered undecided. Just keep in mind, people have tried to kill you twice. Can you survive a third without protection?”