Faster. Fly faster. The words ricocheted through Liliana’s head as she poured everything she had into her wings.

Mana ran rampant through her veins as she pushed all she could spare into her wings, the light in them building as she rocketed through the air. Had she a thought to spare, she would’ve noticed she resembled nothing so much as a shooting star blazing in the middle of the day.

None had died yet from an incorrect assignment being given out, but they’d come too close for anyone’s comfort. Liliana had begun spending more and more time out of the Academy, taking assignments almost as soon as she returned. She was running herself ragged, but to her it was a small price to pay when the alternative was the death of a child, full of hope, of life, of possibilities. Snuffed out too soon.

Her grades were only maintaining the heights of her previous years as a result of fourth years being expected to be out of the Academy so often. The class work almost seemed to get easier the more years they were in the Academy, but the requirements for the number of completed assignments only increased.

By the time they were in fourth year, students were expected to be mostly done with needing the guidance of their professors, for learning anything inside the confines of a classroom. Their fourth year was their chance to show what they had learned, with the questionable safety net of the Academy still under them.

Students were never technically sent on assignments alone. Besides the requirements of partners or groups, any area with an assignment always had other teams of varying years deployed for other various assignments within range of a distress beacon. A safety measure that had never seen nearly as much use as it had in the past six months.

“Lili,” Polaris’ voice came to her as she flew, a black and silver blur falling behind her.

Polaris’ wings were pumping, the strain in his voice clear to her. She had passed him in Speed some time ago, his stats more focused on Intelligence than Speed, almost the opposite of her. She had devoted more of her stats to Intelligence and Wisdom in the past three years, and her classreflectedthat,but Speed would always be her highest stat. She’d always be a fighter, never a true mage.

“What’s in the area, Polaris?” Liliana asked as she gained on the location of the beacon. So close, so far, she needed to be faster.

“Snake territory. Gorgons.” Polaris warned, and a colorful variety of curses flowed through the bond.

Gorgons, deadly on their own. If only they ever traveled alone.

They were always in at least packs of three. Sisters. Liliana had never read of a male Gorgon in her research, not that it mattered much. They were dangerous, mythical class. A creature didn’t evolve into a Gorgon until Rank 4, at the very earliest. They could be dealing with anything from Rank 4 to Rank 2, depending.

It would’ve been a wonderful opportunity to acquire a new bond, if anyone had ever had success with bonding a Gorgon. It could be a result of them having the same preferences as Unicorns, which was to say they utterly abhorred any male creature with a bone deep hatred that was downright obsessive.

Unlike Unicorns, which could be bonded by a woman if they felt the tamer was suitably pure enough, a Gorgon might not hunt down a woman, but none had successfully tamed one. Perhaps because they were so firmly tied to their sisters, and trying to tame three strong creatures at once was beyond any tamer’s capabilities.

Liliana would likely not succeed even if the Gorgons didn’t attack her on sight based on the fact she had two male bonds already. Her main objective would be removing the students in danger regardless, not the best environment to try to convince a dangerous creature to join its soul with hers.

A shame, a Gorgon’s petrifying gaze would’ve been an incredible asset in a fight. But there were always Basilisks and Cockatrices.

“How did the information get so off? A Gorgon should only be taken on by a team of fourth years, if that. This should’ve been something an adventuring guild handled.” Liliana passed down the bond, Polaris having no easy answer for her. He was intelligent, more intelligent than many of her classmates at times, but the workings of human minds often escaped him.

“Perhaps they thought it was Nagas. They’re a lower class of monsters. Never above Rank 5.” Polaris offered and Liliana growled.

“Even so, Naga territory can easily turn to Gorgon territory. It’s within their evolutionary line.” Liliana hissed angrily as she felt the beacon building. They were close now. Almost there.

“Lamias, then? Same family, but far weaker.” Polaris threw out the next possibility, and Liliana had to admit it was likely.

She’d been sent after Lamias attacking a village as a second year. They were dangerous, powerful magical creatures, but physically weak. Easy enough for a team of four or six second years to handle realistically.

But there was no way someone would mistake a Gorgon for a Lamia. A Naga for a Lamia, sure, but never a Gorgon. If someone had seen a Lamia in the area, the information would’ve had to be months, years, out of date. It would take that long for a Lamia to get the levels necessary to evolve into a Gorgon.

Someone was messing with the assignments. If that wasn’t clear before, it was clear now. Liliana just didn’t know how.

“Regardless, we’ll deal with the why later. Gorgons are Earth, Dark, Poison, Soul and Control creatures, usually. There are variables, but we have to assume they’ll have those. No Dark skills in case they can turn your skills and spells against you. Stick to elements we know or can expect them to not have. Light, Chaos, Wind, Spatial.” Liliana instructed, as the sounds of screams finally reached her. They were here.

Liliana took a moment to analyze the battlefield. A rocky expanse, a mountainous region emerging from thick forests. Cliffs and caves abounded. Gorgon territory, if she’d ever seen it. [Eagle Eye] activated and Liliana scanned for movement. Her eyes, as sharp as any bird of prey’s, quickly located the shapes of humans that she focused on. The Academy students, running through winding paths between rocky walls.

Liliana banked higher into the air and sucked in a tight breath. The students were unaware of it, unable to devise they had been herded into a maze, too preoccupied with running for their lives. She could see two Gorgons from where she was, steadily hunting the students through their territory. Herding them.

Liliana’s eyes scanned the area, navigating the labyrinth from on high as she tried to find the end point. The destination the Gorgons wanted the students to reach. She located it, eyes widening when she saw the Gorgon lying in wait for her prey to arrive. By the time the students got there, they’d be exhausted, run ragged by the other Gorgons. Helpless.

“There. We need to take out the one at the end. It’ll give the students a clear exit to escape while we double back to hit the hunters. Only three Gorgons, so if we hit the waiting sister together, we can separate to take on the others individually. The one waiting is likely the strongest, as she was positioned to take on all the students alone. Even weakened by running, no sensible monster would take on five opponents alone unless they were certain of victory.” Liliana pointed out to Polaris, who had caught up to her and was panting lightly in the air.

“Lelantos, ETA.” Liliana sent out through her bond to her tiger. She was lucky her bonds had access to her Earth memories, and could deduce the meaning behind her odd slang she’d brought with her.

“Far. Too slow. On your own.” Lelantos sent back, as eloquent as ever in his speech. At this point, Liliana knew it was on purpose. He saw no use in expanding his vocabulary further than what was essential for battle.

“Fuck. I can’t use Nem for this. They’ll take her spells if they have a stronger mastery. I can’t risk it.” Liliana hissed as eight swords appeared in the air around her, glowing with the same light as her wings.

[Threads Of Control] kept them close to her as she spun the swords around her body in a deadly tornado of blades. Her naginata materialized in her hand and Liliana took a deep breath as she started activating her chains.

It would be just her and Polaris in this fight. Corbin likely wouldn’t arrive until after they finished off the Gorgon taking point. Power, strength, speed all flowed through her as her abilities stacked.

“Focus on her eyes. Gorgon’s always get a Paralysis ability that turns their opponents to stone when they get their evolution. It’s always eye based. Their Control affinity requires line of sight as well. We need to blind her or we’ll risk death.” Liliana instructed Polaris as she surged higher in the air, circling just above the hiding Gorgon.

Liliana’s eyes flicked towards the maze the students were still trapped in. They had to take the Gorgon out before the students got there. They would be a liability at best in the middle of a fight, at worst used as hostages. If the students arrived before the Gorgon was neutralized, then their chances of victory would plummet.

I miss when beasts were dumb and couldn’t devise plans and strategies. Liliana thought mournfully as she reached a point she was happy with.

“Ready?” Liliana asked Polaris, who had been suspiciously quiet, none of his normal mischievousness flowing through their bond.

This was not a game, not today. This was dangerous.

They had far less information than Liliana was typically comfortable with going into this. The outcome was not assured, and Liliana hated making a bet without knowing her odds. She didn’t even know the Gorgon’s level, couldn’t know without getting close enough for the Gorgon to detect her presence.

Briefly she considered activating [Aspect Of The Beast] but withheld. She could activate it later, if it was necessary. But she couldn’t waste it this early in the fight. There was always the chance this Gorgon wasn’t the strongest, and if she needed the skill and it was on cool down, she would be killing herself. She had backup, but no idea when it would get here.

“Ready.” Polaris responded, and Liliana nodded.

Liliana took a deep breath as [Battle Clarity] washed all her emotions away, leaving only the thick rush of adrenaline in her body. Her heart pounded a staccato rhythm in her chest, the start of a melody she would soon fall into. She’d be doing this fight blind, depending on senses she had honed over the years in expectation of fights where she couldn't use one or several senses.

No backup, only Polaris with her.

It was dangerous; it was reckless.

It was exhilarating.

Liliana flipped in the air and drew her wings tight to her back, plummeting through the sky. Her eyes were shut tight against the wind that wailed in her ears as she picked up speed, as the force of gravity drew her to the ground.

[Bestial Instincts] and [Perception] flowed out, returning back with information that almost made up for the loss of her sight. For a moment, Liliana regretted leaving Serenity behind. The Pseudo Dragon’s Mirror affinity would’ve been invaluable in this fight. But she knew she would never convince Serenity to walk into a fight, to kill another creature.

Liliana had survived this long without Serenity. She could last one more fight.

Liliana opened her eyes for a bare second when she judged she was close enough. Just enough time to grab a quick [Identify] a second before the Gorgon noticed her presence.

Donelle

Lady Of Stone And Serpents

Gorgon

Age: 123

Level: 269

Born of stone and hate, Donelle is a creature who seeks the destruction of any male who dare steps foot in her territory. With the aid of her sisters, Donelle has laid claim to a vast territory, using the natural geography to lead prey right into her fangs. While she has no qualms with female creatures, if they are seen aiding a male in her territory, Donelle shows no quarter for their crimes. Any who would harm her or her sisters will be dealt with viciously and swiftly, falling to her piercing eyes, which hold only death for her enemies.

Rank: 3

Health: 2,250

Mana: 36,510

Stamina: 4,350

Shit. Named, she’s a boss creature. I hope her sisters aren’t named too. That gives them too much of a boost. A Rank 3 too, thank the gods I flew ahead of Corbin. He can’t fight this, none of his bonds can. It’s up to me and Polaris. We’re the only ones who can do this. Liliana took a deep breath. She could hear a hissing screech building below her, through the wailing wind rushing in her ears.

Liliana knew she was lucky. Her boon meant she was effectively 90 levels stronger than she appeared, if one discounted the bonus stat points gained from a class, which her boon did not grant her. But it would put her on close to even footing with a beast 63 levels above her, hopefully. With Polaris, it would make it a fair fight, if just.

The Gorgon had less Health than her, though a much larger Mana pool. Over double what Liliana had, though the Gorgon’s Stamina was far lower. It meant if this ended up as a battle of attrition, Liliana could likely outlast if she rationed her Mana and forced the Gorgon to chase her. But this singular Gorgon wasn’t her only concern. Liliana couldn’t afford a drawn out battle with the students and other Gorgons approaching.

She’d need to hit hard then.

[Bestial Instincts] and [Perception] screamed at her when Liliana was within range. The element of surprise gone, Liliana released her [Aura of The Predator] feeling it increasing her Speed, Endurance and Strength. Despite the overwhelming urge to open her eyes, Liliana kept them closed. Her wings snapped out with a crack like thunder as she adjusted her body, keeping her momentum. Her naginata swirled in the air and she felt it connect with a body almost indistinguishable from stone except for a minute give no stone would have.

She heard metal collide with stone, hissing screams filling the air as her swords danced through the air.

“Female human, why do you attack?” the words came and Liliana kept her movements going, swinging back into the air. Unlike beasts that didn’t resemble humans in the least, Gorgons could and did use human speech rather than natural telepathy.

“You’re hunting humans that belong to me.” Liliana responded as she activated [Hail Of Bullets], seeing even through her closed eyes the bright streaks of the attack as it pelted the Gorgon and surrounding area with bullets made of light.

“They are in our territory. They are oursss to hunt,” Donelle hissed.

Liliana’s head twitched to follow the sound of the sibilant voice. The rocky walls and chasms around them were sending noises bouncing, making it harder to pinpoint her enemy’s location with hearing alone. Luckily, [Bestial Instincts] and [Perception] didn’t use only hearing to extend her senses.

“Let them, and us, go without a fight and you won’t have to die today,” Liliana bargained, but kept moving.

She could feel the attacks coming at her, stone and earth flying through the air as she ducked and dived. A lucky shot clipped her wing, sending her spinning in the air. Another sharpened stone passed clean through her side, taking a chunk of flesh with it, a dull ache that throbbed in the back of her mind. Liliana had spent too long fighting over the years to let those things affect her in the middle of a battle. Her swords came up from where they’d been harrying the Gorgon to deflect the attacks sent her way in her moment of distraction.

“If you ssstay you will die, leave usss our prey and we ssshal not pursssue,” Donelle warned and Liliana huffed out a derisive laugh.

“I have killed stronger beasts than you, Donelle. Listen to me and no one has to die today.” Liliana pleaded as she took higher to the sky.

“Can you get a clean hit to her eyes?” Liliana asked Polaris, who had dropped off into the shadows the second Liliana had made her appearance.

“Almost. Keep her occupied for another minute,” Polaris asked. Liliana sighed lowly but swung back down for another strafing shot, [Hail Of Bullets] once more activating. Liliana could hear hisses and whines of pain as some of the shots connected.

“We will not relinquisssh our prey, human girl. Leave thisss place, you have a touch of beasssst in you, we will ressspect the kinssship we feel if you do not make enemiesss of ussss,” Donelle offered once more. From true kinship, or because she saw Liliana as a real threat, was unclear. Liliana could feel Donelle trying to retreat behind stone walls that her empowered swords cut through as easily as they sliced through flesh.

“I don’t want to fight you, Donelle. If you insist on killing these students, I will, and I’ll kill you and your sisters. Make the right choice and allow them to pass through unharmed. They are children.” Liliana tried one last time to reason with the Gorgon, already prepared for it to not take.

Donelle’s Intelligence stat would match her Wisdom most likely, and Liliana’s Charisma was lower than that. She couldn’t charm the Gorgon out of this, and was hoping logic and fear for her sisters would override the Gorgon’s characteristic hatred of men.

“No. They have malesss amongssst them, we do not permit malesss in our territory. They ssshall die and ssso ssshall you,” Donelle hissed and Liliana banked sharply up, feeling the sharp stones flying through the air at her, one scraping a cut deep enough to gouge bone on her cheek. Another burrowed into the meat of her left shoulder, almost sending Liliana reeling from the force of the hit. Her grip on her naginata weakened, the muscles torn and struggling to heal. Inconvenient, but she could still fight.

“Now.”

“Then I’m sorry. You did not have to die today.” Liliana dove back down, twisting through the air to avoid the attacks she could sense coming at her.

Stooping like an eagle striking prey, Liliana’s feet connected with Donelle’s body, sending the heavy Gorgon back, and right into a waiting Polaris. A scream rent through the air as Liliana felt the distinct flavor of Chaos surrounding her. She felt Polaris’ emotion’s surge with victory and satisfaction, telling her more than words did that he’d succeeded.

Liliana opened her eyes to see Donelle kneeling, clawed hands clutching at her face, her eyes, which had been burnt and destroyed by a blast of point blank [Chaos Breath]. The snakes that made up the Gorgon’s hair were writhing, hissing, and striking at the air. Liliana could feel the dull throb of a bite on her calf from where one had gotten through the leather of her pants and sunk its fangs deep.

Not that it would do much with [Poison Resistance] preventing the deadly venom from harming her further than a few hundred Health points.

“You will die human, and male beassssst,” Donelle hissed at her, struggling to her feet blindly.

“No, I think not.” Liliana shook her head, stalking forward on silent feet. Donelle swung her head, somehow able to pinpoint Liliana’s location despite the loss of her eyes.

The snakes. They’re communicating with her, somehow. Liliana thought as she shot to the sky a half second before the ground under her split like the maw of a great beast. Polaris took off with her, chaotic false flames trailing him. Donelle might be able to use her snakes to make up for her blindness, but it left her slower. Too slow to match Liliana’s Speed.

Too slow to dodge the swords coming for her, sliding deep through her reinforced skin. Cutting deep, burying up to the hilt in the Gorgon’s thighs and calves, pinning her to the ground. Too slow to avoid the destructive power of Polaris’ [Entropic Claws] as they ripped deeply through her rocky flesh, removing stone like snakes in his pass over. And far too slow to avoid the decisive blow of Liliana’s blazing naginata and remaining swords as they sliced through her neck, the last serpents in her hair falling limp with the death of the Gorgon.

“You really did not have to die today,” Liliana sighed as she landed, poking at the head distrustfully. Dead snakes could still bite, and she did not trust the serpents to not still have venom in their fangs.

Liliana glanced at her Health and tsked lowly. Her hand reached up and dug mercilessly at the stone still embedded in her shoulder, ripping it out and sending blood flowing as [Regeneration] began its task of slowly healing the wounds she had accumulated.

She was already bruised, bloody, and slightly poisoned. And if she wasn’t wrong, her ankle was fractured from the Gorgon shooting a column of rock at her mid flight and clipping her foot before she could dodge. With a wince from the dull spike of pain it caused, Liliana reset her foot for it to heal. And she still had another fight to go.

Donelle had been willing to talk to her, which had left her open for the surprise attack that spelled her end. She doubted the Gorgon’s sisters would be as willing to talk, not when they would taste their sister’s death on her. And the next Gorgon Liliana would be fighting alone. She couldn’t risk the Gorgons catching up to the students. They had to take them both out at the same time.

Corbin, get here soon, I’ll need the backup. Liliana looked towards the sky, bare of anything but a heavy sun and a few clouds.

“Let’s go. We need to get rid of those other Gorgons so the students can get out safely.” Liliana instructed Polaris, who yipped softly, licking at one of the dull aching wounds littering her body.

“We hunt.” Polaris agreed as Liliana jumped into the air, blood falling like vermilion rain beneath her.

Polaris' Tables:

Status Sheet

Name:

Polaris

Age:

19

Level:

286

Species:

Chaos Touched Kitsune

Genus:

Kitsune

Rank:

3

Health:

3,250

H-Regen:

32.5/1.1sec

Mana:

32,500

M-Regen:

409.1/1.1sec

Stamina:

4,000

S-Regen:

40/1.1sec

Magic Power:

35,289

Magic Control:

43,942

Experience: 7,006,119/8,236,900

Vitality:

325

Endurance:

400

Strength:

160

Dexterity:

600

Wisdom:

3,250

Intelligence:

4,091

Speed:

3,200

Charisma:

2,800

Unallocated Stat Points: 0

Affinity

Light

85%

Illusion

72%

Dark

81%

Shadow

64%

Chaos

51%

Wind

47%

Spatial

23%

Quintessential Skill

[Illusory Palace] Lvl 287

[Revelry in the Night] Lvl Lvl 263

[Entropy] Lvl 234

[Aura Of The Trickster] Lvl 203

[Dominion Chaos] Lvl 17

Skills

[Identify] Lvl 312

[Stealth] Lvl 310

[Shadow Walk] Lvl 302

[Consume] Lvl 300

[Flight] Lvl 290

[Tracking] Lvl 285

[Dodge] Lvl 283

[Enrage] Lvl 256

[Haste] Lvl 229

[Disorder] Lvl 201

Spells

[Dark Manipulation] Lvl 315

[Dark Kitsunebi] Lvl 311

[Entropic Claws] Lvl 301

[Chaos Breath] Lvl 294

[Disarray] Lvl 290

[Turmoil Blight] Lvl 285

[Wind Manipulation] Lvl 273

[Malestorm of Discord] Lvl 266

[Wings Of Bedlam] Lvl 259

[Blinkl] Lvl 222

Small retcon: Polaris was supposed to get his Aura ability at Rank 4. So Dominion Chaos and Aura of The Trickster were switched. Aura of The Trickster is his Rank 4 skill, Dominion Chaos his rank 3 one.