Chapter 3: The Ambush

Damien, Leah and I are sitting in a circle, on the rocky floor of a cave we found near the northern mountains. Our journey here was rather uneventful, aside from the few dead bodies we saw along the way. Damien has gotten out of his armor and is now wearing more comfortable clothes.

Damien: So Jòn, let me get this straight. You're saying that device you're carrying with you amplifies your physical attributes, and is powered by magic all around us...

JÒN: Right.

Damien: And you're planning to use this device to fight the other mages that joined the tournament?

JÒN: Correct.

Damien: Leah, I think this afternoon events have been too much for the poor boy. He's gone completely delusional, you think you could knock some sense into our dear companion here?

Leah(curtly): No

Damien: Because you won't be bothered to...

Leah: Because he's right. The device he's carrying is indeed a stat booster and most of those stats are meant to increase his physical attributes.

Damien: What?... Weren't you the one saying I shouldn't trust him just a few hours ago? Why are you defending him now?

Leah: I'm not defending anyone. I've known the true function of these devices for a long time, so I don't need to trust him to know he's telling the truth.

Damien: Fine, I give up. You win Jòn. So what are these stats of yours anyway?

I show him my device screen, where all the eight stats are shown. Damien gives the device a long pondering look, until he decides to speak.

Damien: Alright, here's what I think. I suggest that if we are to keep traveling in our current formation, and that device really does what you say it does. Then what would help you the most is if it's attached to your wrist than staying in your pocket.

JÒN: I don't think it's possible.

Damien: I can enchant it to be like that

JÒN: Hmm...

Damien: But that's just my opinion anyway, you can take it with a grain of salt. That toy is yours to use, so feel free to do whatever you want with it! However, I want you to decide now and tell us what you're going to do with it,so that we can prepare our tactics accordingly. We can't afford to get into another fight without a plan.

JÒN: I'm planning to fight alongside you two, as crazy as it may sound. Otherwise I'd just be dragging you down.

Damien (sighs): I had a feeling you might say something like that. So I'm guessing you'll be maxing your strength, combat style, and speed then. And maybe toughness since it's probably good against surprise attacks. Just make sure you don't overestimate yourself. Let me and Leah handle our strong opponents. You just try and keep the weaklings out of our way.

Damien shifts his gaze towards Leah

Damien: Now, for the two of us. As you said after our last fight, I would rather not fight against weapon enchanters except I have no choice. That's why I'm going to ask you to take care of them when the time comes.

Leah nods in agreement with Damien

Damien: As for myself, I am particularly good against benders, summoners and shape shifters so I'll focus on them if we meet any.

He is speaking about mage specializations. Most mages would pick a certain type of magic and dedicate their entire life to perfecting it, instead of trying to learn as many spells as possible.

Weapon enchanters such as Damien use their magic to make their gear as strong as possible. Since they mostly rely on their weapons for combat, they will likely also train themselves in at least one martial art.

Benders are born with incredible talent at manipulating one of the four elements: water, fire, earth, and air. However they are born with the affinity for only one element.

Summoners are mages who concentrate on summoning other creatures to fight for them. Since that leaves them vulnerable to surprise attacks, they will also focus on defensive spells, to keep them safe while their summoned creatures fight for them.

Shapeshifters on the other hand go for a more personal approach, transforming themselves into other creatures instead of summoning them. This limits their powers as they won't be able to cast spells while transformed.

Damien: What about you Leah. Do you have any weaknesses against any particular kind of magic?

Leah: Yes

Damien: But you don't plan on sharing them with us?

Leah: I do not

Damien (shrugs): Suit yourself. Well I think that's all we needed to discuss for now. Have some rest, Jòn and I will take first watch. Come on Jòn!

I follow Damien out of the cave and together we start climbing the mountain, to reach a proper view. The moon is high in the sky and the stars are bright, we won't have any problems spotting any enemy if they approach.

As we stand guard, Damien enchants my stat booster to make it like a wrist band, after he's finished he starts telling me stories about his travels around the world, and the adventures he's had. He tells me of the fifty foot giants that live in the far east of the Northern continent. He tells me how he cured the dreaded Ikr plague of the Eastern Continent by himself and how he defeated the green wyvern of the North.

Listen to him tell me all these stories, made me realize why I defended him against the Cutthroat named Tzotzil yesterday. Even though I've never really thought about it before, I guess I've always admired him. He's like all those heroes from the fairy tale stories I used to read when I was a kid, and he's a living example of what I've always aspired to become.

Damien: I've been in a lot of places over the years, Jòn. But everywhere I go, it's always the same. The weak oppressed by the strong, and the few killed by the many. Everywhere I go, there's people dying from starvation, war, plague, or some monster invasion. Seeing those dead bodies just lying there, lifeless yesterday made me feel immense pain in my chest almost like I could feel the suffering and fear felt from each of them as they took their last breath.... How about you Jòn?

JÒN: I didn't really have any time to feel anything. I guess I was too preoccupied with staying alive.

Damien: I almost forgot. That was your first real battle, wasn't it? You handled it well, Jòn. You should be proud!

Damien pauses for a second to gaze into the distance before he continues

Damien: You know when I heard about this tournament, my first thought was that finally, after a lifetime of good deeds, after a lifetime of trying to make a difference, someone was sending me a sign. I've tried all my life to save the world from its suffering, but no matter how hard I tried, my efforts were never enough. But with the help of the Eyen... Maybe, just maybe I might have a chance.

Damien looks at me and notices that I'm a little worried.

Damien: I see no reason why the Eyen can't be shared, Jòn. Even if I win this tournament, I promise I'll use the Eyen's power to help you achieve your dream as well and I hope you'll do the same for me as well if you win?

JÒN (surprised): Of course I will, since we both know which one of us will be winning the tournament!

Damien: Hah! That's the spirit!

After yet another pause Damien decides to change the subject

Damien: So, how's it going with Leah? Are you making any progress with her?

JÒN: I'm not trying to seduce her, Damien

Damien (sarcastic): Of course you're not

Slowly, Damien's smile fades away from his face and he adopts a more serious tone.

Damien: Listen, I know your heart is in the right place. But you know as well as I do that women simply can't be born as mages. It's not in their blood, I don't know why she appears different from a normal cortana to you, and i don't know why the cortana inside her hasn't awakened yet, but it's only a matter of time. One day she will turn into a cortana, and I want you to be prepared when the time comes.

Damien takes a small device from his front pocket and gives it to me. It appears to be a magical transceiver, mostly used by soldiers to transmit information to each other over short distances without having to shout.

Damien: I want you to carry this with you at all times. If you're ever in danger, just tap this three times and I'll come over to help as fast as i can.

JÒN: Just promise me something

Damien: Of course!

JÒN: Promise me that you won't try to purify her until you see her turn into a cortana.

Damien (sighs): You're asking a lot of me, Jòn. You should know better than anyone how hard it would be to stop her once she turns into a cortana. But if it means that much to you, then I promise.

Come on, we should get going. It's time we wake up Leah so she can take second watch.

As we head towards the cave, my stats device starts beeping, I look at it and see that i now have eight points available to spend, which I use to max my speed and strength stats. We wake up Leah to guard the entrance, as me and Damien go to sleep.

DAY 2

I wake up to Leah's voice several hours later.

Leah (whispers): Wake up, stillborn, I need your help with something.

JÒN: Wait, you need MY help?

Leah: Be quiet, you'll wake Damien. Yes, I need you to come with me and take a look at something. It won't take you more than a minute.

JÒN: And why would I help you? All you've done is give me a hard time ever since we've met.

Leah: Because then I'd owe a debt to you and I always pay my debt.

JÒN (to himself): She's being serious, there must be something she's not telling me

JÒN: Why are you asking this of me and not Damien? He's the legendary mage around here, not me!

Leah: Because unlike him, you appear to be very sound in the secluded complexity of magic. You don't see many people these days that knows how a stat booster works. Plus, I have something I want to ask you in private. So come, before we wake up Damien.

We exit the caves and head for the trees. The moon is still pretty high up in the sky. It can't have been more than two or three hours since I went to sleep.

As we walk in awkward silence for a few minutes, i figure i might as well try to start a conversation.

JÒN: So what did you want to discuss in private?

She stops in front of me, and looks me straight in the eye.

Leah: There's something that's been bugging me ever since we met yesterday, when you and Damien first saw me, you started whispering amongst yourselves for about a minute. When I questioned you about it, you told me an obvious lie. I was almost about to let it slide, but then a whole day had passed and none of you made a single comment about me being a cortana. Even after that bearded fool of a mage spelt it out for you when we were fighting. It's painfully obvious to me now that you were discussing whether I was a cortana or not and decided there was no need to purify me.

The question is why? I decided to seek Damien's help because I fooled myself to think someone as kind hearted as him would not sentence me to death. But now that I've cleared my head and thought about it, I realize how much I've put myself at risk by showing myself to him. So why did Damien decide I wasn't a cortana, even when all the evidence said otherwise?

JÒN (to himself): Leah still doesn't trust me. If I tell her that I'm the one who convinced Damien to spare her life, she'll either not believe me or think i have other motives and lose her trust in Damien. Maybe she'll believe me if I tell her that Damien was the one who decided not to purify her?

JÒN: Damien said he'd met a cortana before and that you were different somehow, and that he was going to keep an eye on you for the time being.

Leah: I see, that's all I wanted to ask. Let's keep going then.

JÒN: Wait, why ask me all of this? Why not ask Damien directly?

Leah: Because Damien is the one who knows white magic. He's the one who would normally want to purify a cortana. I didn't want to give him any ideas, incase it never occurred to him.

JÒN: And why would you believe that I'm telling the truth?

Leah: Because, you're not a very good liar, your face gives you away.

JÒN: Is that so?... Well in that case, I also have a question for you. You may not be a Cortana but you can't be a mage either. Women can't be born as mages. So what are you?

Leah: Who says I was born a mage?

My mind goes blank for a second, while I try to make sure I understood what she said correctly.

JÒN: Hold on, do you mean to tell me that you were born a normal human, and that you later became a mage?

Leah: That's exactly what I'm saying.

JÒN: How?! Did you get access to the Eyen? How did you do it? I must know!

I realize too late that I'd let the excitement get the better of me. Leah is looking at me with an expression that shows both bewilderment and a sudden understanding.

Leah: By the gods, you were telling me the truth, weren't you? You really are a human, and you came here in the hopes of becoming a mage. Listen to me, I have no idea what could motivate you enough to go on this suicidal quest, but I assure you that the only thing you'll find is pain and misery. Quit now, and you might still make it out alive.

JÒN: You speak to me of pain and misery, but you CHOSE to become a mage. Surely you must understand how I feel about this?

Leah: I do not really. Because I did not choose to become a mage, it was never my intention. And I have no intention of continuing this discussion further. I gave you a warning, you are free to heed or ignore it.

Before giving me a chance to respond, she storms ahead as I rush to follow her. We traveled in complete silence for the next ten minutes.

As we get further away from the cave, I call out to her again.

JÒN: Wait

Leah: What is it now?

JÒN: We're getting too far away from the cave. What if anyone attacks Damien while he's asleep?

Leah: Oh, there's no need to worry about him

JÒN: Why not?

Leah: Why don't you go see for yourself. Go on, try and head back to our cave.

I immediately start retracing my footsteps back towards the cave. As I start approaching, I get a powerful urge to go the other way. I try again and get the same result. No matter how many times I try, I end up in the opposite direction, sometimes even without noticing.

JÒN: What did you do?

Leah: I see! Not even someone as learned as you would be familiar with this spell as they don't really use mind control magic outside the continent of Avalon. The magic I used is a sunset of magic called mind control. What they do is that they insert an idea in your head and make you think you came up with it, almost like a suggestion. You noticed something was off because you were trying to go in that direction, whereas most mages won't even notice the spells effect.

JÒN: But, how do I get around it?

Leah: Easy, visualize where you wanna go. As long as you have a set destination not just a general direction, you should be able to counter the spell.

After about three minutes of walking we finally come to a stop. The area we stopped is full of fallen trees, similar to where we fought yesterday. Except this time there are no bodies. However, there was clearly a big fight here. Perhaps even what charged up my stat booster.

Leah: This is where I wanted to bring you. Please tell me what you can tell by studying the magic in this place...

As I concentrate on the nature of the magic around me. I start sensing traces of strong elemental magic.

JÒN: There seems to be at least one bender fighting here.

Leah: Yes, but can you tell which element the bender was using?

I try to focus even further, as I use my palm to feel the earth beneath us.

JÒN: It's uh... I'm not sure how to describe it. It doesn't seem to be any of the four traditional elements. If I were to put it into words, I'd say it would be... Electric, in nature.

Leah face slowly lights up as she hears my words. This is the first time I've seen her smile, even if only slightly.

Leah: Thank you, stillb-- Jòn... You've really been of great help.

Her reaction took me by surprise.

JÒN: Wow. This is the first time I've seen this side of you. I didn't know you could actually be...nice.

Leah: What's that supposed to mean?

JÒN: I meant to say that you are usually a lot more--

Before I get to finish my sentence, a dart comes out of nowhere and hits Leah in her left shoulder, making her drop to one knee.

Leah: I'm alright...

She's clearly lying, because she's breathing heavily and struggling to keep her consciousness.

I can hear a man laugh from behind the trees. His voice is high pitched, and could be easily mistaken for that of a woman.

Leader (shouts): As expected of a cortana, even an expensive sleep dart such as this is not enough to bring you down. But you're barely standing, so the outcome of this battle is clear. Surrender now, and we'll show you mercy. We'll grant you and your human companion a painless death.

Jon (to himself): Yet another enemy who doesn't believe I'm a stillborn.

Leah (in a menacing tone): Is this a joke? I can sense that there's at least a dozen of you hiding behind the trees all around us, and yet none of you are mages. Do you seriously think you can win against mages by outnumbering them?

Leader: Mages are no gods. They bleed just like the rest of us. If they can bleed, they can be killed. And so can you.

After he finishes his speech, he blows a very loud horn, and suddenly a rain of crossbow arrows comes flying towards us from every direction. Leah quickly makes an ice dome around us to block their shots.

Leah: Jòn, you need to listen to me carefully, because i can't hold this dome for much longer. I need you to go back to our camp as fast as you can and call Damien.

As she speaks, one of her eyes is twitching, and there is sweat dripping all over her face.

JÒN: You can't be serious! You'll never survive for that long. You're barely even keeping yourself awake.

Leah: I'll manage, I've been in far worse situations and made it out alive.

JÒN: Give me an ice dagger

Leah: What?

JÒN: You heard me. Make an ice dagger for me, I'll deal with them.

Leah: You're insane. What are you planning to do? Talk them all to death?

JÒN: It's like you said, they are not mages. So either you give me that dagger or I'm going in barehanded. The choice is yours.

Once Leah understands I'm not going to change my mind, she reluctantly forges an ice dagger and hands it to me. When I grab it, I realize that the hilt is also made of ice, but its shape makes it easy enough for me to hold on to, and this isn't the time and place to complain about how cold it feels in my hand.

JÒN: Perfect! Now, open the dome and make sure you keep it closed until I'm done. And also, don't take any stupid risk.

Leah: Are you sure about this?

JÒN: As sure as I can be, given the circumstances. Do it

She creates an exit just wide enough for me to pass through, as I step out and run towards the forest.

When I reach the woods, I notice a man behind a tree, reloading his crossbow. His back is turned to me and he didn't hear me coming yet.

I stealthily approach him and when I'm close enough, I hit him in the back of the head with the hilt of my dagger. Before he faints, he let out a faint scream, which will no doubt alert some of his comrades who are close by.

Five of the men that were shooting Leah are now rushing towards me, to see what happened. It would only be a matter of time before they see me. I need to act fast.

I quickly look around to see my options. I then see that the crossbow of the man that I knocked unconscious was just reloaded with exactly five shots. If I aim right, I might be able to take them all out.

I quickly grab the crossbow from the ground, and jump right in front of the five men, aiming for the one in the middle.

Afraid not to shoot him in one of his vital organs, I aim for one of his legs, in order to immobilize him. I do the same for one of his comrades, and then I quickly hide behind a tree, while three crossbow bolts fly right past me.

JÒN (to himself): Three shots. I've only got three shots left.

I jump out from behind the tree, and aim for the ones that are still standing. Instead of hiding behind trees themselves, the three uninjured men formed a wall in front of their fallen allies, in order to make sure i don't finish them off. This is good for me, as it's easier aiming when they are not hiding.

I fire two more shots still aiming for their legs, and both men drop to the ground.

The last man standing fires a bolt towards me, but i dodge it in the nick of time and aim for him next.

I notice too late that one of the men lying on the ground managed to grab his crossbow and is aiming it straight at me.

For a moment, it felt like time had paused. I could see the crossbow bolt in mid-air as it was heading towards me, I quickly sidestepped to the left, and I could almost feel the breeze from the bolt as it flew past my head. I then immediately aim the crossbow for the last man standing.

Once I shot him, he fell to the ground like all the others, screaming in pain. I quickly disembark before their screams would attract more crossbow men. These ones were in no position to follow me.

Before I left however, I took the liberty of swiping the ammunition of the first guy I took out.

I didn't come out here to be a mass murderer, but I'm ready to kill if there's no other way. I'm not going to risk my life and go out of my way to save some people who were ready to kill me at a moment's notice without so much as the slightest provocation on my part. However, I am going to try and not kill them unless necessary.

I take a glance towards Leah, her dome is still standing, but it's taking a lot of damage. All the crossbow men seems to be focused on her at this point and they are not giving any chance to retaliate.

This means I could try taking them out very quickly one after the other. But most are stationed in groups, so I'll need to be incredibly fast to take em all out.

I can't risk losing the element of surprise. There's no better time than now to take out the crossbow men, since they are all so focused on Leah. By the time their leader realizes what's happening, his army will be gone.

I start heading in the opposite direction of where I first heard their leader's voice come from, since my plan will be over if he spots me. I doubt he had any reason to move from his original position, since he believes he's already won the fight.

As I move through the woods, I get spotted by a group of about ten men. Since their far away, they'll have to come closer in order to aim properly.

I rush towards them and try to use my speed to outmaneuver them.

This is not an easy task, when I first rushed towards them, I almost got shot by three crossbow bolts. They already greatly outnumber me. Closing in on them with a melee weapon when they all have crossbows almost seems suicidal.

But I've got speed and reflexes maxed out. So I use my superior agility to quickly distance myself from them, and make sure that they've completely lost my trace. I then start shooting my crossbows at several trees that are far apart from each other, in other to distract my attackers. A few of them take the bait, and come closer to investigate the source of the sound.

I cut out a tree branch that looks solid enough to use as a club, and I wait for the crossbow men to separate.

I start targeting the groups with the fewer members.

In a split second, I reach behind them, and knock out the first man with my tree club. Before the second man has time to figure out what's going on, I knock him out as well, and then i hide behind the next tree. Luckily, the other don't notice what happened. This means I still have time to take out another group. I see three men approaching one of the trees I shot earlier.

Just like before, I wait for them to back me, then I arrive behind them almost instantly, and before they have the chance to realize what's going on, i successfully knock out two of them. The third one however, managed to dodge my hit, and is now trying to aim his crossbow at my stomach.

I slash his hand with my ice dagger, so he's forced to drop his weapon, I attempt to knock him out again with my club, but he simply blocks my hit again and goes for his own knife.

I can't prolong this fight this fight any longer as it's getting serious. So, I strike to kill. The man tries to lunge at me with his knife, but i dodge his hit, and use my dagger to slit his throat. I move backwards, contemplating what I just did,as some of his blood sprayed on my face and he falls to the ground trying to cover his neck with his hands, before his body stops moving.

Two other men saw what happened and are now rushing towards their fallen comrades. I quickly round them and take them out without giving them a fighting chance. I take out extra two just as easily and in the end, there's only one man still left standing. Seeing what happened to his comrades, he abandons his post and runs away.

I let him go, he's lost his will to fight, so he won't be bothering me anymore.

I start moving more cautiously, taking out my enemies one by one, overwhelming them with my superior speed movement.

As I take out more and more of them, the crossbow men gradually lose their will to fight, and are starting to flee the fight in greater numbers. They are clearly not soldiers. I guess I was lucky because I'm not sure how I would have done if they were trained professionals.

The last man standing, their leader, is now on his knees crying and begging for mercy. By the looks of his fancy clothes, he's probably some rich noble in one of the more prosperous cities of the West. That would explain how he could motivate so many people to follow him on this suicide mission.

Leader (Crying): Please! I only wanted to become famous by winning the tournament. I'm sorry I attacked you, please don't kill me! I have a lot of money! Here you can take it. Take it all, just spare my life, Please!

He throws a bag of golden coins at my feet.

JÒN: You're telling me I can have all your money. But that's not all your money, is it? Where's the rest?

Leader: W-What do you mean? That's all I have with me! The rest lies in my mansion in the Western continent.

JÒN: I know your type. You would never keep all of your money in one place. Especially in a place like this, you must have hidden it somewhere here in case.

Leader: That's all of it, I swear!

JÒN: Fine. If you say so....

I point my crossbow at his head

Leader: Wait! You're right! There's more. I've buried some gold next to the tree behind you. But that's the last of my money, I swear!

I move to the spot and dig out all the treasures. There's even more gold here than there was in the bag.

Leader: See! It's all there, and it's yours now.

JÒN: Very well. I'll take your money in exchange of your life. Now get out of my sight and I never wanna see you again

Leader: Y - Y - You will never see me again! I promise!

He scrambles to his feet and runs away as fast as he can. I watch him go until i make sure he's gone for good, then I grab the gold and head back to Leah.

As I approach her, Leah calls out to me

Leah: What happened? Why aren't they shooting at us anymore?

JÒN: Because, I took care of them.

Leah: You took care of ALL of them?

JÒN: Yeah, by the way, how are you feeling?

Leah: I'm fine! Nothing a little rest won't fix

JÒN: Let's hurry back to the cave, we don't need more people to come attack us.

Leah: Right! I'll be honest, I never really thought you'd pull it off

JÒN: Yeah, neither did I

We spent the rest of our trip back in silence. But I really didn't find it awkward any longer. After all we've been through this morning, a little quiet is more than welcome.

>>>End Of Chapter 3<<<