To Battle -Chapter 10

(Next morning.)

Nera gasped for breath as Physical Reinforcement ran out. "H-how much farther?"

"Two, two-and-a-half hours," Elmerin said, readying to cast the spell again. "A bit more if we can keep our speed up and the monsters cooperate."

"Sky and Reefka will let us know. We'll speed up again-" Alexavier broke off as Sky came sprinting back. 

"El! Alex!" Sky skidded to a stop. "There's a party fighting a giant vine monster up ahead! They're in the next big cavern we have to go through. Reefka's watching."

The parties stopped for a moment to consider this news. 

"Isn't there a way around?" Falchan whined.

Drysia recovered first from the collective jaw-drop. "Adventurers help each other. That's what we do." She looked at Elmerin. "Join Reefka and scout out the situation?"

Elmerin glanced over at Alexavier, who nodded. "Let's go."

*******

The group entered the cavern cautiously, carefully moving over to join Reefka hiding behind a pile of large rocks. A dent in the ceiling showed where they had fallen from at some point.

"One Sapphire, male, four Rubies, two male, two female." Reefka's voice was quiet. "All injured. Only the Sapphire is still standing. Standard looking vine monster. It's likely at least Sapphire rank."

Elmerin nodded and handed a small bag to Kres. "Kres, this is the item bag with our monster pieces in it. Hold onto it so it doesn't get lost in the fight. Only I and those I designate can hold it." This last was aimed at Falchan, whose expression soured. 

Riyo raised her wooden orbed staff, but Elmerin motioned her back. "I'll do it." He closed his eyes and began casting buff spells on the group.

"<Haste >. <Shield >. <Physical Reinforcement>. <Conceal >. <Quick Reactions>." Elmerin pulled out two mana potions, handing one to Riyo and drinking the other. "<Strength >. <Weapon Reinforcement>." He motioned to the ranged damage dealers, excluding the rest of the group from the remaining spells. "<Keen Eye>. <Target >. <Enhanced Accuracy>." He sighed. "Alex, you've had training in small unit combat, and you're better than me. Will you lead?"

Alexavier nodded. He examined the area where they were, then shook his head. "Reefka, did you see any place where we could safely secure the injured?"

Kaada pulled out a map of the cavern they were in and Reefka pointed to a spot on it. "Over there" He pointed across the cavern to their left, where the map showed a depression in the wall guarded by several large boulders. "The ceiling is low in that spot. The boulders will provide a natural shield, and the placement will make it hard for the vine monster to maneuver its root ball among them.

Alexavier nodded. "Elmerin, Riyo, stay here and distract that thing with your magic when I give the signal. Nera, take Kres and make your way to that smaller cave; Kaada, watch their backs. Falchan, Seef, Drysia, you three and I will take on that thing directly. Reefka, Sky, duck around the edges and drag the injured away any way you can. Get them to the cave so Nera can treat them."

"Take this." Elmerin handed Nera a mana potion. The look on his face said it was not the time to argue. "And take this, Seef." Elmerin handed him a thin woven bracelet. "It's a one-use amulet -this one is charmed with Taunt."

"You had that!?" Falchan yelled. 

"Hsss!" Alexavier snapped softly. 

It was too late. The vine monster had turned at Falchan's exclamation and was searching for the source of the noise.

"Damn. Everyone, go!" Alexavier drew his sword and gestured for Seef, Drysia, and Falchan to follow. Everyone dashed off on their assignments.

*******

"Elmerin, let's hit it with ice first. Even if it were Diamond, a good chunk of ice should slow it down." Riyo gestured to a large lump on the end. "Any stone should be in the root ball, right?" She paused. "Right? Elmerin?"

He jerked from where he'd been staring after getting a good look at the monster, stunned. Sapphire? That might be too low. But a Diamond monster? Here and now? "I hear you. Yes, that's where the stone should be. Ice sounds good." He focused. "When Alex signals, we should try to hit it just above the root ball -the vines are considerably weaker when severed." He noted some scoring on the root ball. "It looks like that party's mage had the same thought, but didn't have the strength."

"Have you ever seen a monster this big?" Riyo asked worriedly. 

The height of the monster's vines reached nearly to the vaulted ceiling, while its mass occupied at least a quarter of the space in the ballroom-sized cavern. The root ball was easily the width of a wagon and the height of two of them.

"No. I haven't." Alexavier or Kres, or even Drysia, would have realized he was lying. But Riyo merely nodded. 

"Let's begin, then." Riyo began the soft chant she used as a mnemonic and cue to gather mana from the environment. Elmerin mentally cast his mind out to do the same. He couldn't remember ever needing such guides.

******* 

Alexavier and his small team charged at the vine monster, seeking to catch its attention. Seef slammed his shield down and bit the bracelet amulet, tearing it and releasing the <Taunt > enchantment. The monster shrieked and turned, using its vines to move across the cavern floor towards them. 

Falchan slammed his shield down besides Seef's, the two forming a wall sheltering Drysia and Alexavier until it was time for them to strike.

"Now, mage strike!" Alexavier thundered.

*******

Elmerin winced. He'd never understood why the damn plant monsters developed a voice. 

"Now, mage strike!"

"<Ice Blade>!" The two cast their spells, their maximum amount of blades thrown as hard they could to do as much damage as possible in this first attack.

Deep cuts in and above the root ball and the vines' wild thrashing showed the blades had struck home. Some of the vines moved to shield its root ball, while others lashed out at the location of the two mages -who had promptly vacated the spot once the attack was launched.

Alexavier wasn't having any of that. He and Drysia dashed in, slashing and stabbing at the vines and attracting the thing's attention again. It turned, chasing after the two -just to be hit by more ice as Drysia and Alexavier ducked behind the tanks again.

Plant monsters were notoriously difficult. Even when the oversaturation of magic gave them some kind of weird nervous system, they felt less pain and equal levels of injury disabled them less than their animal or humanoid counterparts, while their often woody or elastic structures and frequent production of toxins combined to make them hard to take down.

The next ice attacks came from farther apart. Riyo and Elmerin must have gotten separated while dodging. Alexavier checked on the rest of the adventurers.

Nera was just dodging in between the boulders. Kaada was following her with one of the Ruby adventurers draped over his back. Sky and Reefka were each helping one of the female Rubies move toward the boulders, while the Sapphire guarded the second Ruby male in case the monster switched its attention to them. 

Another hail of ice told him where one of his mages were, while some earth spikes -probably Elmerin's from the size and number- told him the other was still fighting. 

Kres… where was Kres? Was he behind the boulders yet?

Alexavier's heart leapt into his throat.

During the fight, Falchan had -unsurprisingly- wound up at a distance from Seef and Alexavier. And Kres had somehow wound up near him and almost within reach of the monster's vines.

A sudden vision appeared in Alexavier's mind. Kres, his back to his father. Falchan, pulling a foot back -and kicking it forward. Kres, tumbling into reach of the vines as they grabbed for and seized him-

*******

Characters in this chapter:

Elmerin

Kres

Drysia

Nera Faunford

Sky

Falchan Cothmore

Death Eagles:

Alexavier Asheburne

Seef

Reefka

Kaada

Riyo

Unknown Party:

Sapphire, male

Ruby, female

Ruby, female

Ruby, male

Ruby, male

Spells in this chapter:

Conceal: Undifferentiated, Light, or Dark magic. Uses mana to bend perception of a physical body so it is indistinct or shadowy. Not true invisibility. Levels above 5 can Conceal someone from a designated target(s), while leaving them visible to their allies. Duration depends on level, effectiveness depends on experience.

Enhanced Accuracy: Increases the chance of a missile or spell hitting the target. Duration and effectiveness depends on level. 

Haste: Increase movement speed from 25 to 100%. Recommended to only be used with Physical Reinforcement.

Keen Eye: Increase acuity of vision and perception of details. Works similarly to Earth binoculars. Duration and effectiveness depend on level. A high-mana cost spell; who to apply it to and when best to apply it depends on experience.

Mana Gathering: A strictly mental spell, usually used unspoken, that collects mana from the environment to buffer and replenish a magic user's own mana. Requires a certain ordering of mind to use efficiently. A chant, mantra, or tune is often used to help remember and invoke that state of mind, but the method used is not in itself magical.

Quick Reactions: Increases reflexes and responses to circumstances in the environment. The reactions can be quite energetic. It's recommended to only use this spell with Physical Reinforcement.

Shield: Creates a thin layer of mana around a person. This layer will absorb 1-5 rounds of damage in place of the target. Will eventually dissipate after a time even if not used. Duration, strength, and amount of damage absorbed depend on a combination of spell level, amount of mana, and experience.

Target: Spell that focuses the eye on the best place to strike. Duration depends on mana, keenness on spell level. Rarely manifests as an inherent Skill.

Taunt: A spell that attracts the target's attention to the one using the spell. Strength and duration depend on mana and spell level. Sometimes manifests as an inherent Skill.

Weapon Reinforcement: Prevents damage to weapons for the duration of the spell. Amount of reinforcement depends on skill level and mana. Duration depends on skill level. Higher skill levels can focus the reinforcement on specific parts of the weapon; how to do this properly relies on experience.

 Items, magical:

One-use Amulet: An amulet, usually woven cloth threads or thin leather straps, that can be enchanted with one spell. The threads are enchanted, then tied into a circle, usually a bracelet or ring. Activation is caused by biting or cutting through the threads or straps, breaking the circle and releasing the enchantment. Popular among adventurers with low magic and for some daily life tasks.

Monsters:

Vine monster (standard): Most vine monsters start out as one of a variety of plants that can be found throughout Tas. Several species are prized as ground cover to prevent erosion or promote the attractiveness of gardens. 

When over-infused with magic, particularly corrupted magic, they gain size and strength. Whatever their root structure before, the roots gather into a root ball that can be easily carried by the vines. The vines thicken and lengthen, gaining strength. The plant uproots itself and becomes mobile. Once it is mobile, it can feed on prey as well as the nutrients from the soil. Toxins and woody or elastic structures not found in the regular plants may develop.

Advanced cases gain rudimentary to advanced nervous systems and vocal abilities. The giant vine monster used by the Demon King was claimed to be sentient.