Chapter 89

Everlyn glanced around in a manner Tom would have called disinterested, but he knew her well enough to trust her statement. If she claimed to be keeping watch, she would be, and her casual behaviour probably spoke more to the lack of threat than anything else.

She looked back at him. “So, did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Evolve Touch Heal?”

Tom shook his head.

“What?” she sounded scandalised, her hands clutching her heart mockingly. “How about sacrificing titles?” Her tone had switched from playful to serious.

This time, he nodded.

“Good. I was sure you would figure it out, but I was worried.” Unexpectedly, she pouted. “And you really didn’t evolve Touch Heal? I had my money on you getting an aura that heals everything instantly and does resurrection, providing that person died in the last 72 hours. That’s going to cost me auction credits.”

“What? I’m sure you knew I wasn’t going down that path even if I talked about. How many credits?”

“One.” She laughed at that. “Most of my bets were sensible.” She grinned and then spun in a circle to check their surrounding. “Personally, I’m glad you didn’t heal, and I’m guessing that you’ve ended up with something ridiculous?”

“Um.”

“It is.” She pounced on his hesitation.

“What did you get?” Tom asked back.

Everlyn waved her hand dismissively. “Some minor bow skills.”

“Let’s say I believe you. Can you answer a couple of questions for me?”

She nodded.

“What was your trial ranking?”

Everlyn hesitated before leaning forward. “Exceptional,” she whispered.

He gave her a long look, and she was wearing her serious face. She meant what she said. “And did you sacrifice titles as well?”

She held up two fingers.

“How many titles did you have originally?”

She repeated the gesture; her face a mixture of smug, proud warrior and a little girl scared of admitting success because she was simultaneously petrified of the compliments it would generate and looking forward to them.

She had got outstanding. With title sacrifice.

Tom looked at her in shock. Not by sacrificing just any titles, either. That speed title was, if not technically legendary was equivalent to it. If that was sacrificed and she got the same rank as him. “Wow. Well done. We might need to talk about the details later in private.”

She nodded. “And you?”

“Similar, however, the second title I used wasn’t anywhere near as good and my result was slightly less.”

She linked arms with him. “I beat you.”

He chuckled. “Yes. You certainly did.”

Everlyn looked this time at the fellow humans instead of the surrounding. No one was paying any attention to them so she flexed her hands and an elaborate crystal bow with an arrow on it appeared. The weapon simultaneously glowed with power and also felt like an ordinary child toy. There was some sort of glamour on it to reduce its status and the only reason he had even noticed it was some special because she had actively revealed it to him.

She winked. “I’ve shown you mine now. What did you choose?”

The bow had disappeared from wherever it’d come and Tom had seen nothing quite like it. Both the glamour to make him dismiss it and the power that had existed trapped within it. It was truly an extraordinary reward. Exceptional, Tom reminded himself of her rating and she had sacrificed two amazing titles. Given what he had walked away with, Tom shouldn’t be so shocked.

He glanced at her again and remembering the power of that bow. It was curious… these challenges were supposed to be barred from granting anything physical, which implied. He studied her. She was grinning happily and could probably see the wheels turning in his head.

If the bow was not an item. It meant it was conjured or summoned or some form of soul bound speciality weapon. Though most likely not the last, they were probably an invalid reward.

“Now you?” she grinned. “I showed you mine. You need to show me yours.”

“Seriously.”

She smirked and nodded.

“Ok” He went down and picked up a small rock. He wanted to do something similar to hers. A demonstration that would demonstrate earth magic in a way that would alarm no one else.

Possibilities flashed through his mind. Stone Skin was too boring. Harness Meteorite was totally out even if he had the mana. That was the opposite of discrete. He could use Throw Rock. It was possible with it he could launch the pebble two hundred metres and Everlyn had the eyes to confirm the throw or he could use Earth Manipulation to create a statue or…

He grinned at her.

“This will take a moment.”

The rock in his hand changed shape, shifting from a small pebble he could clasp into a stone figurine that most closely resembled a Lego figure. Tom knew he could add more detail and create something better, but this was just to show his power in a cute way.

While hiding it in his fingers, he checked the sculpture and made it more Lego like. His first attempt was a little close to the uncanny valley effect even if it was only the size of a thumb.

“What are you up to?”

She tried to snatch a look, but Tom could close his fist.

“Patience.”

He focused on those years of experience, flittering through his memories. If he read them right, most of them had been him in a workplace creating low grade and then later mid-grade golems for custom orders.

Everything he had generated had been for battle or maintenance. There had been none created as a flight of fancy or for toy purposes, but… Tom could extrapolate the details and he had done fine control work before.

He played with options of the spell form in his mind and the energy capability of the tiny ordinary piece of rock he held. Large chunks of the basic spell got trimmed away. He was creating a toy, nothing more, but… he glanced at Everlyn. She was looking at him curiously.

“And?”

He wanted it to be special. A few extra tweaks occurred to the figurine, and he upgraded the spell form an extra time. In his mind, he imagined the personality. It was all simple stuff, but he wanted a bit of flare; he wanted it to be cute.

“And?”

“It’s been like twenty seconds.”

“At least thirty.”

“Fine. If it’s not perfect don’t blame me.”

Thirty mana drained into the rock and he opened his hands.

The miniature figurine he had created yawned, stretched and sat up.

Everlyn squealed in delight and then looked around self-consciously as her reaction caused the surrounding people to stare at her.

She lent closer to examine the small statue that was now carrying out exaggerated stretches. “You can heal dead stuff to become living?”

Tom laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “Yep, that’s the most likely explanation.”

“Earth or illusion.”

“Earth.”

“It’s beautiful.” She held out a hand imploringly, creating a flat surface next to his own hand. The tiny toy looked at the hand in confusion and then shuffled closer and kicked it inquisitively.

Everlyn giggled.

“Go,” Tom grumbled in mock annoyance. Pushing the tiny creature. It stumbled forward onto her hand and then spun and waved its fist angrily at Tom.

“It’s so precious.”

“Unfortunately, it won’t last.” Tom apologised.

“What do you mean? It’s going to die?”

He mock glared at her.

She raised the little man to her eye level to study closer. It promptly turned its back on her. She smiled at him. “I know it’s temporary. I saw how much mana you pushed into it and there were no high tier materials used. Though you have to admit it’s cute.” They were playing a game where Everlyn would move a finger slowly and the golem would do clumsy rolls to avoid it staying on her hand the entire time. For a moment she searched the surrounding, and the golem took the opportunity to fly kick the still finger. It ended up almost tumbling off the hand as it bounced back.

She snorted in surprised laughter. Tom left them to their playing and instead bent down to pick up a useful-looking rock. It was about the right size for throwing. He tested its weight and how it felt nestled in his fingers. Not perfect, but good enough. Covertly, he flexed his powers to condense the stone. Under the direction of his third tier manipulation, the rock bulk shifted. It became denser and then smoothed itself into an aerodynamic shape. The upgraded stone disappeared into his soul storage. Without the benefit of unlimited mana, he could only go so fast with each pebble taking over a minute to create while he kept his mana full. Still having seven tier one rocks and a scattering of tier zero available and ready to throw in his soul storage made him feel more comfortable.

Behind them, the first of the second batch emerged.

Tanya had a big grin on her face. “I got my fire back.” She danced and flames lit up around her. “Almost as good as what I had the tutorial.” She laughed with an edge of hysteria. “I’m no longer defenceless.”

There was another snap of her fingers and a flame burst out from it. A billowing cloud. “How did everyone else go?” she asked excitedly.

Tom studied the expressions of those around him while keeping his own neutral. Everlyn’s face was a blank canvas, but most of those gathered looked pleased with themselves and Tom suspected that to outside observers that he would fall into the same category.

The challenge trial was a godsend for their group. It was nice to see a bit of life back into people’s eyes.

Existentia, for almost everyone else had been a savage disappointment. The murders, being stuck with the wasps for weeks and then losing people when they finally escaped had knocked down everyone’s spirits. They had been losing hope, but judging by the surrounding expressions that oppressive feeling might be breaking. The monsters in these foothills were not overwhelming. They could knuckle down and grow their strength, and the challenge trial was a chance to become powerful to re-create the fast building of personal power they had expected when they got here.

A short time later, the last of them emerged. He had taken as long as Tom, but while Tom was sure he came out looking happy, this guy appeared grumpy. No one risked saying anything to him and together they set off.

Clare fell into step beside them. “How do you guys go?”

“Everlyn insists you show them yours before she’ll show you hers.”

“Just with you Bubs.” Everlyn interrupted. “I went great. I got my archery skills from the tutorial back plus a couple of spells that I didn’t have back then.”

“You?”

“A tier 4 heal. I was hoping for a Tier five, but the spell that I got should be able to restore limbs. I think everyone knowing that a proper solution is available will restore morale a little.”

“What my amazing skill wasn’t doing it?” Tom asked, grinning.

“While your method was undoubtedly effective, the fact it required you to stab the other person multiple time was a sort of reasonable downside, that and it was going to take you days.”

Tom chuckled good-naturedly. “Were you going for that?”

“Yeah, keeping Mac sedated was getting at me.”

“Was that his name?”

Everlyn punched him in his arm.

“What?”

“You spent hours healing him. You don’t need to demonstrate your ignorance.”

“It was not like he was talking when I was treating him.”

“Or conscious.” Clare injected helpfully.

“Still, you could have asked either myself or Clare.”

“That’s true.”

“Whose side are you on? Anyway.” He playfully pushed the other woman.

“The truth.”

“Shush.” The grumpy man who had come out last hissed at them.

The three of them looked at each other, recognising the guy was being ridiculous. They had three scouts out now and their quiet chatting was no louder than the occasional clink of weapons and armour. Plus, with the fortifications now in sight, they’d probably reach them before any threat. Manifested.

“Someone stuffed up.” Clare whisper to all of them.

“Shut up,” the grumpy guy snapped. Not disputing her assessment.

“Something’s wrong,” Everlyn said abruptly, pointing at the fortification that, while visible was too far away for Tom to perceive any details.

“Do I need to bring out my big spell?”

“No,” Everlyn whispered while studying the wall. “Its something else.”

Almost as one everyone had sped up having noticed the issue even if they couldn’t see it.

“Drawn faces, angry expressions.” Everlyn reported. “The guards are looking in as much as out.”

“Shit,” Tom cursed, knowing exactly what was happening. “Do you think there’s been another murder?”