Mana: 12 -> 9

Spell: Fireball

8D6 = 28 (1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6)

28 damage!

A third Fireball rocked the kurabaras, flooding them with flames which licked at their skins. The roaring fire had caused the kurabaras to stumble for a moment, but they continued to charge at the group of adventurers, not realising that the adventurers were the source of the magics.

Well, one of them was.

Adam had wounded almost half of the kurabaras, aiming for the kurabaras which were on their way towards the middle of the line where the weaker members of the group were. It had cost him half his Mana, but it had whittled down their defences.

‘It’s all up to you now,’ Adam thought, gripping Wizard’s Axe tight in hand.

Arrows and javelins fell from the sky to strike the kurabaras, but none had yet to fall, before they crashed against the line of adventurers.

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 6 (5)

Health: 65 -> 31

The kurabaras swarmed the group, who stood side by side, shields up, weapons out. They crashed against the front line, causing them to stumble backwards, and the creature’s teeth and claws came upon them like a storm.

Adam grunted as he was forced back, taking a particularly harsh blow from one, only to find another striking at his thigh, and a third biting at his bicep. These kurabaras were mostly fresh, unwounded by his Fireballs, and they were the fiercest.

Lucy and Jurot had both fallen into their rage as they were assaulted by their own set of kurabaras, their blood trickling from their wounds as teeth and claw found purchase within their skin, which was more like iron than flesh.

Kitool managed to fall to the floor before a kurabara’s jaw snapped the air noisily. They had braced for the blows, protecting the group behind them with their bodies.

However, now the kurabaras were in their range.

There was the crackle of lightning as Jaygak sliced a tail off, and though an arrow harmlessly clattered off the stone like back, a blade cut through the kurabara, flashing white hot as the creature’s neck was cut, and one fell before them dead, Jonn’s sword having dealt the decisive blow.

Nobby fell into his own rage, allowing it to consume him as he swung wildly with his axe, though it scraped off a kurabara’s stone shell.

“Lady Arya, please protect us with your might,” Dunes chanted, calling forth his divine magic, which filled the air. Blades appeared, and a gentle glow and warmth covered most of the group. The blades struck all the kurabaras within its range, piercing through with their divine light.

Lucy swung wildly in her rage, almost cutting a kurabara in half. It cried out in pain, regretting that it dared to bite the one who claimed to be the Demon Lord.

Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2

Health: 31 -> 36

Attack - Wizard’s Axe, Flanking

D20 + 8 = 15 (7)

D20 + 8 = 20 (12)

Hit!

Mana: 12 -> 11

Ability: Divine Smite

2D6 + 2D6 + 5 = 18 (2, 3)(4, 4)

18 damage!

Attack - Wizard’s Axe, Flanking

D20 + 8 = 24 (16)

D20 + 8 = 26 (18)

Hit!

Mana: 11 -> 10

Ability: Divine Smite

2D6 + 2D6 + 5 = 17 (1, 4)(2, 5)

17 damage!

Adam, annoyed that so many kurabaras had decided to attack him, gripped his axe tighter. ‘Do I smell good because I’m a Half Elf?’ he thought, before all thoughts dropped away from his mind.

He focused under his Fighting Spirit, allowing it to guide his weapon. He cut through a kurabara, slicing it like butter, his axe flashing white with the strength of his smite. As he dropped the kurabara which had almost bitten his neck, he turned his attention to another, though it shifted its body so that his axe bounced off of the shell of stone which covered most of its body from above.

‘I can’t die to these little shits! How embarrassing would that be?’ Adam inhaled deeply as the kurabaras made to try and strike him.

Though the kurabaras had made to attack once more, they had found that quite a large number of them had fallen to their prey, which was not what they had wished for.

Jurot snarled, pulling his axe out of a kurabara’s neck, before leaping towards another. Vonda had slammed her mace against one of her foes, and Fred assisted her in trying to keep it away from Nobby and Brittany.

The creatures backed away, before they turned to flee.

Attack - Flame Bolt

D20 + 5 = 21 (16)

Hit!

2D6 = 8 (3, 5)

8 damage!

Adam called forth his magic, which coalesced around his hand, turning into fire. “Where do you think you’re going?” Once he formed a fist made of flame, he punched through the air, which shot the flaming fist forward, striking a kurabara against is back. He could have cast Fireball, but he may need his Mana later in the day, in case they were attacked again.

Jurot chased a kurabara, and as a Flame Bolt struck it’s back, he tore through its hind leg, before his blade pierced through the creature’s side, causing it to drop. Even dead, the arrow aiming for its side clattered off of its stone.

Attack - Flame Bolt

D20 + 5 = 13 (8)

Miss!

Adam cast another Flame Bolt, which was aimed towards a nearby kurabara which was attacking the farmers, but it missed. The kurabaras soon broke, with many of them dead.

Brittany sighed. Every arrow she had loosened had been harmless. Nobby frowned too, having been unable to strike true with his axe.

‘I should make them magical weapons too,’ Adam thought. Even just a basic weapon would have assisted them in some way. ‘Ah, there’s those magical weapons we found in the temple though…’

Victory!

Kurabras

XP Gained: +500

XP: 8295 -> 8795

Adam, and the other Experts, had managed to deal with the kurabaras with minimal issues. The Iron Rank parties had been heavily wounded, but after killing a few kurabaras between them, the creatures had fled.

The Priests of the large group began to heal their allies quickly, trying to get some of the weaker fallen members back on their feet.

“We should make camp here,” Oliver said. “We’ll march harder tomorrow to make up for lost time, but lets butcher the kurabaras and eat their meat tonight.”

The others were all in accordance, as the stone shells which protected the kurabaras could be made into shields and armour, though the armour may be quite heavy. Jurot and Kitool assisted the butchering while the rest of the group began to make a camp, shovelling the earth aside and chopping wood to make a small outpost.

“Hah,” the punk said, grinning wide towards the Half Elves. “You only managed to kill five of them between yourself? Even we managed to kill three.”

“Well done,” Adam said. “I’m so glad that you managed to kill three of them, but I’m fairly certain I weakened far more for you to kill.”

The punk’s smile shifted as his brows furrowed into confusion. “What?”

“I cast three Fireballs for the lot of you so I hope you killed at least a few of them, otherwise why did I waste my spells?” Adam asked.

“You cast those Fireballs?” Oliver asked. “How?”

“With magic.”

“Yes. Aren’t you an Expert with a weapon?”

“Yes.”

“You’re an Expert with magic too?” Oliver asked. ‘No, if he can cast three Fireballs, isn’t he slightly more powerful than an Expert? So is he a Guardian? Does that mean he’s a Master?’

“Yes,” Adam replied. “I can see you’re thinking deeply about it, but you probably shouldn’t. I have a special relationship with magic and the Gods, and that’s it.”

Oliver stared at Adam. He was a Half Elf, which had been a point against him, but hearing that Adam was a powerful Wizard, or a Priest, or perhaps a Guardian, had certainly garnered some respect for him.

“Sorry I didn’t cast Fireball to assist your group, but I assumed it would have been best to help the Iron Rank parties so they wouldn’t get killed right away from some kurabaras.” Adam chuckled.

“Who would die to some kurabaras?” The punk growled.

“Kurabaras are difficult foes,” Oliver stated, firmly. “Had he not cast his spells, you may not be able to complain to him about his assistance.”

The punk shut his mouth and quickly stormed off.

“Thank you,” Oliver said, nodding his head.

“Any time.”

“Though… are you sure you should be wasting your spells like this?” Oliver’s eyes passed over the large tower which Adam had summoned.

Adam shook his head. “From where I’m from, they would think this was more than perfectly acceptable. If you don’t want me to cast this spell, you should speak to the rest of my party and let them know that you decided to take away from them their greatest joy.”

Oliver stared at the tower. “May I take a bath later?”

“Yes,” Adam said, smiling. “Of course.”

Oliver remained staring at the tower. ‘Did he… did he cast four Third Gate spells? Is he secretly a Grandmaster?’