《The Stormforged》


 The Smoking Maul

    The sun was rising on a cold fall morning, and many in the small town were beginning their day¡ªfarmers, miners, fishermen, and everyone in between. The town of Lockden sat on the edge of what''s known as the Wild Lands, the last bit of civilization in the nation of Nefaria. In this tiny town on the edge of civilization lay an inn run by Levi Law, a tall, muscular man with brown and gray hair and a full beard, and his small yet growing family. The sun had just begun to color the room when Levi heard the whiny baby in the other room. Though he tried to ignore it in hopes she would fall back to sleep, she did not. Armorica, Levi''s wife, was a stunning woman with long brown hair and red highlights. Armorica gave him a kick in his back. "Go get the baby," she mumbled in her sleep. "Ugh, this child," he thought. Rubbing his eyes and stretching, he made his way to his daughter''s room. "Hey Char! How''s my little girl doing?!" he excitedly yelled. Char, being so excited to see her dad, lit up with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts. Char was one year old and had just enough light brown hair to make the cutest little ponytail. He went to stoke the fire in the main hall and began getting the inn ready for the day.


    Levi once trained to be an adventurer and served in a militia. Having a rare class of Stormforged, he had massive potential, but his priorities were elsewhere at the time, and he focused on building a family and having a peaceful life. The training mentality never left him, however. As he stretched and did some light workouts followed by a run, he finished it off with a system meditation. As he sat there in meditation, system windows came into view¡ªskills, spells, and stats appeared. What many refer to as "The System" came into being, along with skills, spells, and levels. Many aspects of the system are accessible without meditation. His status read as follows:


    **Name:** Levi Law


    **Age:** 33


    **Level:** 20


    **Rank:** Copper


    **Class:** Stormforged


    **Race:** Human


    **Profession:** Innkeeper


    **Health:** 3,100/3,100


    **Mana:** 1,050/1,050


    **Stamina:**


    **Stats:**


    - Strength: 310


    - Vitality: 310


    - Perception: 110


    - Willpower: 210


    - Intelligence: 210


    **Race Skills**


    - ??? : ???


    **Humanity''s Inspiration:** +10 to all stats


    **Master Linguist:** Understand and speak all intelligent languages and forms of communication.


    **Advanced Health Recovery:** Recover from damage much faster; wounds heal easier and poisons are less effective.


    **Skills**


    - Magic Manipulation


    - Magic Infusion


    **Spells**


    - Chain Lightning


    **Affinity**


    - Lightning


    On his return to the inn, he woke his oldest daughter, Savine. Savine was twelve with long brown hair with bangs and purple highlights. Knocking on her door lightly so as not to disturb the others, "Savine, time to get moving..." Nothing. Knocking harder, "Savine, it''s time to go; there''s a caravan coming by today..." Nothing. She always knew how to get under his skin. Now, with total disregard for disruption, he pounded on the door. "Savine, TIME TO GET UP!" From right beside him, a giggle erupted. "Savine!!!" Levi grabbed Savine in a headlock, messing up her hair and dragging her off to start her chores. Like this, most days started¡ªearly mornings of chores, meal prep, tending chickens, and smoking jerky for the many travelers that passed through. At night, the inn of Lockden was alive. It had a nice-sized bar in the main hall where many of the townsmen got together after a long day, and travelers passed through for a room and a meal. The Smoking Maul was a busy inn by all accounts. Lockden had many caravans and travelers because of its location to the Wild Lands, which were rich in crafting materials and monsters. The town was almost its own little kingdom, so removed from everything, it was a place to hide and reinvent oneself.


    As morning gave way to the warm afternoon, Levi was talking with the town mayor, Reginald. "Regge, I can''t see the skirmishes of Nefaria reaching out here," Levi said. "Levi, the scouts have yet to report in from last night. I came to see if they were still slumped at your bar. If they aren''t here and haven''t reported in, then it is beginning to set a chill I can''t get rid of," Reginald said. Levi thought for a moment, then said, "Reggie, I''ll put word out to my customers, and I think we should place the town militia on alert and send multiple patrols on short routes." Reginald nodded his head in agreement. "I''ll make the arrangements." While Levi wasn''t the mayor or in any position of power within the town, many valued his knowledge and insights. Levi returned to the inn to inform Armorica about the conversation with the mayor. "I can''t believe we''re putting the militia on alert," Armorica sighed. "It makes me worry¡ªdid we make the right decision coming here?" Levi hung his head low, sitting in his chair. "We didn''t have many options. It was this or I leave for war. I don''t want my daughters to grow up in this world without their father, my wife without her husband. This world is growing in malice; it won''t be long until a rift opens again at this rate." A rift is a dimensional gateway to the world of demons and other high-level monsters. The last time there was a rift, it leveled a capital city before the adventurers'' guild could close it. The rift feeds off the malicious mana in the world. When mana is used with malicious intent, it leaves behind trace amounts of mana that''s been converted to malicious mana. The demons use this for their rift rituals. Armorica placed her hands on Levi and cast the spell Courageous Spirit. Courage, determination, and strength flooded into Levi, giving him the moral boost he needed to get through the day. Armorica had a rare class of healer that not only focused on healing but buffs as well, known as Benedicter. Armorica smiled at Levi, gave him a hug, and said, "We can weather anything, dear. As long as we keep the family together, everything will be okay." It calmed Levi and brought him back to where he needed to be.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    As nightfall came, the inn began to fill for dinner and drinks. The Smoking Maul was ablaze with laughter. Savine, though only twelve, was running around taking orders and serving meals and drinks. The fire was warm and roaring. A caravan that came through happened to have a bard with them who was happy to take out his lute for a bit of coin. In the town of Lockden, on the edge of the Wild Lands, amongst the turmoil of the world, for a moment everything was peaceful and merry. That was until, in an instant, all the torches in town went out, and the roaring fire in the main hall went silent. "What the fuck is going on?" "Who turned out the lights?" "Alert the militia!" people yelled. That''s when a slow, deliberate knock at the door sounded. The smell of smoke filled the air, and the room began to fill with smoke from so many torches and the fireplace going out. Then it opened, and a tall, burly human man wearing dark leather armor with fur underneath cut through the smoke and into the main hall. He threw a bloody sack on a table in the hall, and out rolled the heads of the scouts that never reported in the night before. The hulking man in the hall was flanked by six other lesser-sized but equally bloodthirsty men. The hall of the Smoking Maul was in panic. Levi whispered urgently to Armorica, "Grab Savine and Char, take them to the cellar, and be ready to move. I''ll do what I can and meet you there." Armorica swiftly obeyed. Levi always kept an uncommon heavy hammer under the bar for when things got a little wild. Levi slowly reached for the hammer, catching Reginald''s eye. Reginald, a skilled fighter, nodded in understanding. Levi knew that when he made his move, it had to be fast, violent, and take the momentum. He began to infuse lightning mana into the hammer. It was heavy in his hand, but he kept infusing it until he felt the hammer push back a little, knowing any more would make it explode. The hammer began to crackle. Knowing it would give him away, he looked to Reginald and gave him a nod. With that, the two launched their attack. Levi raised his hand, aiming at the flanking men, and unleashed Chain Lightning, a highly effective spell perfect for the situation. (Chain Lightning: a lightning affinity spell able to strike up to five targets. Each time it jumps to a target, the damage lessens slightly, causing the target some paralysis.) Blue lightning wrapped and crackled around his hand and streamed out, hitting five of the six men. The first man hit was fried and dropped to his knees, dying; the other four were injured and surprised. Using this moment, he and Reginald lunged to strike the large man. Reginald fell to his back and slid, tackling the man''s leg, making him fall to one knee. Levi took a large step, building as much torque and strength as he could, and swung the crackling hammer upward with all his might. The hammer struck the large man in the jaw. In that moment, a blinding flash followed by lightning bolts cracked through the hall. The hammer exploded on impact, sending shards everywhere. Blood began to pour from Levi''s hand; it was broken and had shards of the hammer in it. For a moment, the hall of the Smoking Maul was silent as Levi received the notifications:


    [You have killed level 50 human]


    [You have killed level 35 human]


    [You have gained a level]


    Levi was breathing heavily. The warm blood dripped from his fingertips, and the hall began to smell of burnt hair and flesh. A miner looking out the window stumbled over to Reginald. "Reginald, the houses... they''re burning them... the people are..." Reginald stopped him. "I know, lad. Levi, we need to move; that fight definitely drew attention to us." Levi then remembered Armorica! The town was ablaze, the screams of the townsfolk filled the air, but also laughter. Someone amidst all the chaos was...laughing?! Levi could almost hear the laughter in his mind as he pushed through the people in his way and found the stairs leading to the basement. With every step, he felt the air cool the sweat on him, making the blood dripping from his hand feel all the warmer. He made his way into the cellar, his heart pounding out of his chest when he frantically looked for Armorica. "Levi!?" she screamed. Levi snapped in the direction of the voice; it was Armorica with a spell charged and ready in her hand, glowing yellow and red, no doubt an attack spell of hers. Armorica leapt to her husband and embraced him. Savine, smart and fearless as ever, hugged his side, and Char, surprisingly, was asleep. Levi whispered, "Armorica, are you alright? Have you been hurt?" "No, we''re fine. What''s going on out there? It sounds... awful." Levi paused for a moment, the laughter still in his head. It was almost manic-sounding. "It looks like the worst-case scenario: a large force is raiding the town. They must have a high-level mage within their ranks; they''re using some kind of widespread magic causing panic. Reginald is going to muster what militia he can and make a fighting retreat to the mountains west of here." Armorica let out a large sigh, knowing what would happen next. "I''ll heal your hand and give you some buffs. Don''t get too carried away. Deal with the mage and help Reginald retreat... remember, this is a fighting retreat, not just fighting." Levi nodded his head. Armorica''s hands glowed with bright yellow light as she healed Levi''s hand. Then she stood up, placing her hands on his chest and casting Courageous Spirit, Hero''s Strength, and Mind''s Eye. Levi''s heart pounded heavily as a flood of warmth ran through his blood. It felt as if nothing could stand in his way. The cellar was cool and dark, with dancing lights from the fires burning outside sneaking down the stairway. Levi held Savine in a strong hug and whispered softly in her ear, "Your mother will protect you, but you are strong. She will protect you, and you will protect them both. Don''t have any fear for the enemy; they are weak with a few strong. We will be okay." Savine hugged her father hard and nodded. Wrapping his family in a hug, he said, "I love you. Get to safety swiftly and silently." Levi gave Char a kiss and pressed his forehead to hers, eyes closed, holding this memory for a moment. Then he turned and made for the bedroom to retrieve some gear. Levi ran his hand over the chest that held his combat gear, a simple wooden chest just big enough to hold everything. Inside the chest was a full set of heavy steel armor of uncommon rarity, a very expensive set given their lifestyle and location. Next was a medium-sized steel shield, also uncommon, a tool belt, and a very expensive rare-rarity hammer:


    [Armor''s Bane] - Rare


    +15 Strength


    +15 Vitality


    Deals bonus damage to enemies with armor.


    Levi urgently ran to the courtyard in front of the inn and began to assess the situation. It quickly became clear this wasn''t some random bandit attack. The air was heavy with smoke and the smell of blood, burning flesh, and the screams of people he once respected and relied on. It began to fill him with rage. "AHAHAHAHA" The voice was loud in Levi''s head. He dropped to one knee, holding his head. Blood started dripping from his nose; it was a mental attack, most likely from that mage and his spell. Levi drew in a deep breath and could feel the smoke tickle his throat. He focused on his surroundings¡ªthe smell of the bodies burning, the sight of the lights from the fires flickering, the thought of his family. Levi calmed his mind; a calm mind is much harder to attack than an enraged or panicked one. Reginald and his militia were making their way to the Smoking Maul, knowing Levi would be nearby. "Levi? You old hoot, where are ya?" Reginald shouted. Levi came walking out of an alleyway with two dead bandits in hand. "Levi, I see you''ve been busy. Any idea what we''re dealing with?" Reginald said. Levi threw the dead men to the side. "From what that guy said, they are bandits from the Wild Lands that made a pact with Crainwall. Their service will be rewarded for being essentially cannon fodder." "Oh shit... this is bad, Levi. Those Crainwall folks are lunatics," Reginald said. "Do we have the location of the mage casting this spell? To cast such a widespread spell for so long, he must be well into Bronze rank," Levi thought aloud. "We actually do have a location: town hall. They''ve set it up as a FOB." "We can buff up prior to the fight, sneak in close. Our scout indicates the mage stays inside the meeting hall. We can blast a hole in the southern wall using the element of surprise to get into close combat, where the mage should be weakest, and wrap this up. With their leadership dispatched, it should give us the time we need to retreat," Reginald explained. Levi agreed, and they moved into position.

 Chapter two: Defiant one

    **CHAPTER TWO: Defiant One**


    The Lockden militia, Reginald, and Levi began their preparations. Buffs went out, and potions were passed around. "Archers, take rooftop positions there, there, and here," Reginald pointed. "Front liners, remember, do not feed into the spell. Stay in the moment. Winning the fight isn''t why we''re here; we simply need to buy time and eliminate the mage," Reginald said as he placed a hand on a fisherman''s shoulder. Levi knew this wasn''t going to be easy but took a deep breath to focus his mind. He looked at his friend speaking to the others, the smell of the wood all around on fire, the light glow from the moon. Taking in his environment, Levi could feel the calmness wash over him. He stood up and said, "Okay, let''s fuck this guy up!"


    Reginald got into position along the southern wall with a fire mage from the militia. The mage placed both hands out in front of him and charged his biggest spell. With a rush of hot air and a boom that sent a shock wave through the air, the wall exploded, taking a large portion of the roof with it. Levi was infusing lightning affinity mana into Armor''s Bane. It could take much more than the uncommon rarity one he used earlier. It had an engraved wooden handle with a large circular head, and on the other side was a long, sharp spike. He had won the hammer in a tournament back when he was training to be an adventurer. Giving Reginald a nod, the mage blew the wall to pieces. Before the debris could even land, Levi was moving, using Chain Lightning to keep the mage off balance while he closed the distance. With his hand held up in the mage''s direction, it crackled with power. Levi unleashed it. The spell shot through the air with immense speed and struck the mage. The mage, at the high end of bronze rank, easily tanked the spell and leapt back to gain some distance. He was utterly surprised this backwater shithole had anyone able to produce such a spell. While he could take the hit, it still hurt like hell and did a considerable amount of damage for the rank.


    The mage had many tricks up his sleeve. Upon seeing Levi barrel through the falling debris, he used one of these tricks. With a mental command, a hulking bandit five times bigger than the one from the hall slammed into Levi, sending him flying into the wall to his right. "What...the...fuck," Levi mumbled while standing up, hammer still crackling with mana. "Oh, that''s a big bandit!" Reginald yelled out. "Reggie, take the mage; I''ll deal with this thing!" Levi shouted. He knew enough about Reginald''s abilities and strengths¡ªthey''d worked together for a number of years and defended the town numerous times¡ªthat Reginald was more suited to putting pressure on a ranged opponent. Levi brought his shield from his back and took a defensive stance, readying himself for a real battle. The hulking man''s eyes were pitch black, his veins were bulging and a dark purple color. He was altered by some kind of twisted spell. Wood debris was still falling from the explosion. Blue light flickered all over from the hammer. Levi kept his gaze locked on the man in front of him. The man dug his back foot in. Levi knew he was about to make his move and readied himself. Then the man was gone. Levi was taken by surprise at the speed when a hit from behind sent him flying. He crashed into tables and chairs, breaking everything in his path. Levi spat out blood on the floor. "It''s been ages since I took a hit like that," Levi smirked. He began infusing the lightning affinity mana into himself, increasing his reaction time and speed. His eyes glowed blue, and lightning started to crackle all over, striking the ground around him. Levi leapt upwards towards the man. He was just above the man''s head and struck down, holding the hammer with two hands on the man''s head. With a shriek, the mana infused in the hammer flooded the man. Bolts of lightning were streaming out from his head. Levi didn''t stop. He pressed the prone man and struck downward again and again, pummeling the now motionless giant. Levi swung until his hand was sore, then leapt back and chugged a mana potion. Potions had a cooldown effect after they''re taken. While you can consume more, there won''t be any effects. A lesser rank potion will have a lower cooldown.


    Reginald moved fast, using the momentum that Levi created and pressed the mage, closing the distance and getting into melee with the mage. Reginald struck with a hidden blade and placed a shallow cut across the mage''s chest. The mage became transparent, and Reginald''s cuts passed through him like a ghost as he started casting a spell. The hulking man slowly stood up. His head was caved in, part of his face was gone, blood poured from the man''s head. A dark purple light started glowing out of his wounds as his flesh grew back and wrapped around the exposed skull. "It''s fucking healing, Reggie!" Levi yelled. "He turned into a damned ghost; I can''t hit him!" The giant man grabbed a handful of debris on the ground and hurled it at Reginald. Levi leapt to block the attack with his shield. Levi took the attack head-on. Shards of wood found the gaps in his armor. While the armor didn''t give any stats, it did disperse physical attacks extremely well, but even it had its limits. Levi was in pain. Shards of wood sticking out of the gaps in the armor began dripping blood, and visible dents appeared in the helmet and chest plate. Levi''s glowing eyes locked in on the incoming bandit. He raised his shield to block the attack. The bandit raised both his arms and slammed down into the shield with both fists, crushing the shield and sending Levi crashing into the ground.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Now they lost the momentum, and the mage''s forces were closing in. Arrows flew overhead as the archers engaged them. The other militia made their way through the breach. One engaged a bandit with a large two-handed axe that parried the militia man''s attack, then cleaved him in half. Two more crawled through the rubble towards Levi and the large bandit, who grabbed one and used him as a weapon to beat the other. It was a massacre. He threw the battered man to the side. Levi opened his eyes. He was breathing heavily. The sounds of metal weapons clanging, arrows thudding into the bandits and ground around them. He slowly stood up, and with a loud clang, what was left of the shield he was holding fell to the ground. Reginald was absolutely shaken. "Levi, you fool!" Reginald shouted as he tried to move, yelling in pain from the spell. The hammer was so heavy in his hands he wanted to drop it. His helmet was dented and hot. He wanted to take it off and accept the fact that he did his best, but he couldn''t. He couldn''t accept this fate. How fucking dare they trash the Maul, threaten his family, and kill his friends. A deafening thump echoed in his head. The mage laughed hysterically. "Crainwall will wash over this backwater nothing town and carve out the countryside!" He cast a spell that wrapped Reginald with transparent purple tentacles. He struggled to move, but each time he did, pain shot through his entire body. Levi was hunched over, blood pooling at his feet. He started to feel cold as the warm blood ran down him to his feet. The large man leapt above him, both hands raised high. THUMP...THUMP...THUMP.


    [Prerequisite for unknown race skill met]


    [Cataclysm]


    1. Damage Amplification: The more damage you take, the more damage you can deal.


    2. Second Wind: When your HP falls below a certain threshold, you gain a temporary boost to your abilities.


    3. Enhanced Abilities: During the Second Wind state, your abilities are enhanced, allowing you to deal more damage and gain other benefits.


    Levi felt like a dam had just burst inside him. He was flooded with power and mana. His eyes were swirling blue and black orbs. Lightning bolts began to jump from him, striking the ground and tearing it asunder. He raised his hand and cast Chain Lightning, which normally had a blue color to the lightning, but this time it was black as the void. [Chain Lightning has evolved into Abyssal Lightning]


    [Abyssal Lightning]


    1. Bolts of lightning from the abyss jump up to 20 targets, amplifying each time it jumps.


    2. Causes targets to be debuffed with shock; targets take increased lightning damage.


    Black electricity wrapped up Levi''s arm to his hand, creating a ball in his palm of pure darkness. He stared down the giant-sized man and unleashed the devastating spell. Pure black bolts of lightning burst from Levi''s hand and surged towards the large man. As it hit him, he twisted and contorted, dropping to the ground. Cracks formed all over his body. The black bolts jumped immediately to the mage, who smirked and didn''t even try to dodge, assuming his ethereal form would protect him. He was also struck by the bolts and writhed in anguish. He released Reginald, who had lost consciousness from struggling. [You have killed level 70 human] Levi got the kill notification for killing the giant bandit but not the mage...not yet. The mage was keen and resourceful. He cast a spell that empowered him. "You are a defiant one. My victory or loss doesn''t matter the invasion has begun more far stronger than me are already here. This town, your family, and your friends¡ªall will be crushed!" The mage snarled.


    Levi infused the same Abyssal Lightning into Armor''s Bane. It crackled with violent black electricity. Levi felt lighter than ever before, his reaction speeds were like those of another rank. The mage raised both hands and cast a spell that shot a beam of dark magic towards Levi. He saw this in almost slow motion, stepped to the side of the beam, and charged the mage. Before the mage could lower his hands to move the destructive beam towards Levi, he raised the hammer and slammed it down square onto the mage''s head. There was a powerful explosion, with bolts of black electricity jumping out from the impact. The mage''s top half was gone.


    [You have killed level 80 human]

 Chapter three: Yelling at the ceiling

    Armorica grabbed Savine''s arm. "Use your sleep spell on your sister; we need to move quietly. When we get out of here, we will make for the mountains. There''s a cave at the base of one. I should be able to deal with any monsters in this area, but we should avoid any fighting," Armorica whispered.


    Most children gain their first skill or spell around fourteen years old, but Savine was extremely talented and gained her first on her twelfth birthday, which she used to put her friend Emma to sleep immediately after gaining it. Now almost thirteen, Savine has two spells: Sleep and Conceal. Only ever using her spells for fun, she''s never had the pressure of having lives at stake. Her hands trembling, she placed one on her sister''s head, and a faint pink glow emanated from her hand. Char fell into a deep, deep sleep. Savine then took a deep breath, but the smoke and dust made her lungs feel as if they were on fire. She started coughing hard.


    "Mom, the smoke''s so thick I can barely breathe," Savine said between coughs. Armorica placed a hand on her, and it glowed bright yellow, giving her the Courageous Spirit buff. Savine felt a rush of power and determination flood her. "Whoa. I''ve never felt this buff before... this is amazing," Savine said calmly.


    "Grab my hand, Mom. We''re getting outta here." Armorica reached out with her other hand and grabbed Savine''s. Savine closed her eyes, and a dark transparent veil covered them, effectively making the group invisible for a time.


    "Okay, we''ll go out the back and down the west road past Smitty''s shop to the tree line," Armorica whispered.


    They then crept out of the back of the Smoking Maul and onto the streets of Lockden. Fires were burning all around. Behind them, the windows of the Smoking Maul shattered, and flames began climbing the walls. Soon the entire inn was engulfed in flames. Savine was visibly enraged; her face was beet red, tears streamed down her face, and her hands were shaking. She wanted nothing more than to kill the people responsible for this. Just then, her mind was invaded by the sinister laughter of the mage. She struggled for a few seconds while wrestling the spell that tried to induce panic. Eventually, she gained enough strength to move.


    "Your father is going to deal with this mage, and we''ll be able to safely get out of here. Now let''s keep moving," Armorica said.


    They started walking down the road, burning homes on either side and bodies all around. Some were hung; others were burned or chopped to pieces. It was a truly gruesome situation. Savine kept her eyes forward, not letting the scene around them stop her. As Smitty''s shop came into view, they slowed down and looked for any survivors. Smitty''s shop was the town general store that sold just about anything, or Smitty could at least point you in the right direction. They kept themselves out of view in an alleyway across the street from the shop and could see the wife of the town smithy out front of the house. A large blood stain was in the dirt. She had a large hunting dagger stuck in her side and a large pool of blood under her. Savine closed her eyes tight and squeezed her mother''s hands hard.


    "Ms. Jenna was always so kind to me. This is chaos. They aren''t even taking anything; they''re just killing everyone," Savine said.


    Armorica closed her eyes. "Gods of Seraphim, guide and protect her soul. Allow it to find peace in your realm."


    They had a moment of silence before steeling themselves and moving on. The spell drained Savine''s mana constantly, so they had to get outside the town before she ran out of mana. That''s when they saw a pack of summoned wolves tearing a man to shreds. It was too much for Savine. She froze, closed her eyes, and placed one hand on her mouth. Armorica squeezed her shoulder and slowly pushed her in the right direction. The spell lasted just to the edge of town, where they hunkered down behind some fallen trees and took stock of the situation. The smoke in the distance was thick and billowed out from houses and fields. They sat huddled together in the mud. It was cold and wet. Armorica looked at the town where they raised their kids. The town had given them so much; it hurt to watch it burn. From the center of town, she could see blue flashes and lightning.


    "Your father has engaged the enemy. We need to move now. He''s buying us this time; we cannot waste it. On your feet," Armorica said.


    Savine normally would complain about such rigorous conditions, but without skipping a beat, she was on her feet and pack on her back. "Let''s hurry up, Mom, so we can be ready for when they show up," Savine said.


    They made their way to the entrance of the cave and found some others who had run there at the start. Armorica started assessing everyone''s injuries while Savine took care of Char and the other kids.


    "You are such a talented girl, Savine. It was because of you we made it here. I''m proud of you," Armorica said with tears running down her face. She had been strong for her family for so long that she caved in the silence.


    Savine, never having seen her mother cry, hugged her tightly. "Mom...I was so scared! It... it was a slaughter! Why!? Why did this happen?" Savine cried out.


    Armorica herself wasn''t entirely sure why Lockden, a nothing town on the edge of the Wild Lands, would be marked for death by Crainwall. "I... I don''t know. What matters now is keeping the family together and getting out of this. Let''s get some rest and be ready for your father and Reginald to arrive," Armorica said while hugging Savine.


    They had worked their way into the cave a little bit to hunker down and start a fire. The cave walls sparkled as the light of the fire hit them. There must be some mana-infused minerals in the rock. Savine held her sister tight near the fire, and the other kids started sitting with them, exchanging names and opening packs to root for food. Some time had passed, and Savine was looking around at the walls when she heard something at the entrance. It was Emma; her friend came running in.


    "The militia''s here!" she exclaimed.


    Reginald and the militia finally made it to the cave. The entrance was like a crack in the mountain, forcing the men to climb through one at a time. Inside, the townsfolk of Lockden waited, one by one looking and hoping their loved ones made it back, but most did not. A handful of the militia went through, then Reginald came through followed by Levi.


    "I knew you''d make it back, but damn do you look like shit," Armorica busted out laughing with tears forming in her eyes.


    Savine, carrying Char, ran to her father who was moving much slower than usual. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?" Savine cried out while hugging her father. Levi grabbed them all in a big hug. "We need to talk about what''s happened. Let''s find somewhere to sit down," Levi said in a quiet tone.


    Keeping your class, skills, and spells hidden as long as possible is a smart move. Many will learn as much as they can from you and use it against you, so Levi even now wanted to talk in private about his upgrades. The cave was sparkling from the fire and smelled very earthy and damp. It also made everybody inside feel at ease; the cave had an odd mana presence that was very welcoming.


    "That''s when the large empowered bandit threw a massive handful of debris at Reggie." Levi went on to tell Armorica and Savine about the battle and how he had essentially lost until he met the prerequisite for his unknown race skill and his Chain Lightning evolved¡ªsomething that is pretty rare but not unheard of. Many spells and skills change when you''re under dire circumstances and overcome dangerous situations.


    "You need to meditate and see what''s changed and go through your spells," Armorica said.


    New spells, skills, upgrades, and class changes are offered by the system after training, fighting, surviving, and for just about anything. Sometimes it''s a bit random, and sometimes it can be because you''ve had a breakthrough with a concept of a spell you''ve used tirelessly. In Levi''s case, having an unknown race skill is extremely rare and would generally signify the person with this skill walks an unusual path.


    Levi went a little deeper towards the back of the cave and found that it went much farther than he at first thought. He found a small offshoot cave. Dipping under the low entrance, it opened up. Levi was stunned by what he saw. There was a pool of water in the center surrounded by large stalagmites and stalactites. The walls were glowing much brighter than the other part of the cave, and the mana here was extremely potent. Levi sat down, crossing his legs, and began to meditate. He cleared his mind of recent events, which took longer than usual with everything that happened. He grabbed a handful of dirt and let it fall through his fingers while letting out a deep breath. The windows began to appear:


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    [You have gained 5 levels]


    [You have obtained a new affinity: Abyssal]


    [Your race skill Humanity''s Inspiration has evolved]


    [You have reached level 25]


    [Level cap reached for Copper rank]


    [Do you wish to rank up? Y/N]


    Ranks started at Copper, then Bronze, where many started to make their path their own. After Bronze is Silver. The leap between Bronze and Silver in power is extreme. A skilled Copper ranker can take out a Bronze ranker, but a single Silver ranker can take out dozens of elite Bronze rankers with ease. The levels are a representation of growth and power. Each class provides a different number of stats with each level. For instance, the Stormforged class gives 15 strength, 15 vitality, 10 willpower, 10 intelligence, and 5 perception per level. The levels for each rank are Copper level 1-25, Bronze is 25-100, Silver is level 100-200. After Silver is Gold, then Platinum. There is something after Platinum¡ªgodhood¡ªbut that''s not really a rank. It''s a transcendent being, someone beyond ranks and levels of the mortal races. The levels between Gold and Platinum are truly out of reach for most, while godhood is out of reach for almost all. The gods obtain power through the usual ways: fighting, training, meditation, but also through their actions. Some guide souls, some heal the sick, or bless prophets to spread the word of a god or pantheon. While others wage war and sow seeds of deception, churches to these gods and pantheons can be found all over Jora to make contact with high priests or even on rare occasions the gods themselves. There''s a lot more than levels needed to go beyond Platinum, and it''s different for everyone. While most Platinum rankers seem like gods among men, there''s many that will never see it.


    Levi was amazed by what he saw. "5 levels, a rank up, and a new affinity? I didn''t know I could have two, and I guess I should pick some spells and skills before I hit Bronze," Levi muttered to himself. He focused on the spells and skills window:


    [Pick one skill or spell]


    [Sneak]   [Pummel]   [Abyssal Armor]   [Magic Barrier]


    Levi was almost laughing at the selection. He chose [Abyssal Armor]:


    *Must be wearing heavy armor*


    While wearing heavy armor, infuse it with Abyssal magic and transform it into Abyssal Armor, adding massive physical damage reduction and magic damage reduction.


    [Pick one skill or spell]


    [Sense Undead] [Static Charge] [Sunder] [Swift Strike]


    Levi looked at both Static Charge and Sunder:


    [Static Charge]


    Build up a charge of static electricity by using lightning affinity spells. The next melee attack that hits you will make it discharge at your attacker.


    [Sunder]


    A melee attack that will deal extra damage to armored targets and heavily damage the armor.


    He wasn''t exactly sure which to choose


    While Static Charge sounded nice and had loads of potential, Levi didn''t have any melee attack skills. He didn''t consider himself a mage; he had made the infusion and manipulation choices for a reason. Working on infusing and manipulating magic early on would be highly beneficial down the road, and the skills made up for his lack of experience in those fields. Infusion is important during battles but also during crafting, making new items, transmutations, and a ton of other things. If you''re bad at infusing your affinity and magic, items can be made worse or destroyed. Once you''ve infused your magic and affinity into an item, you need to be able to manipulate it to do what you want. Levi made his selection: [Sunder]. Next, he moved to the window talking about his new affinity:


    [You have obtained a new affinity]


    [Abyssal]


    Abyssal affinity is as dark and bottomless as the void itself. It is excellent for infusing into spells and items. The abyss consumes all...


    Levi was a bit taken back by the affinity. Its description was a bit vague, but he knew when he infused Armor''s Bane with the abyssal lightning, it was far easier than usual. He was excited to test this affinity out and all the new possibilities. Next, he focused on the window about his race skill evolution:


    [Your race skill Humanity''s Inspiration has evolved into Humanity''s Salvation]


    [Humanity''s Salvation]


    Plus 100 to all stats


    This was unheard of. "Plus 100 to all stats?" Levi blurted out. "Damn, I wonder if it will evolve every rank up? Would it be a thousand at Silver? Ten thousand at Gold?!" he thought to himself. A grin grew on his face. He was becoming strong enough to protect everyone he cares about. Then he started to wonder, "Why me? Why am I getting what I can only guess is one rare occurrence after another? One or two I could believe, but this many things at the same time?" It screamed divine involvement. Levi looked up and said, "Fuck off. I won''t be your tool or your experiment," essentially to nobody but just in case they were involved. He had decided to move on and stop yelling at the ceiling.


    [Do you wish to rank up? Y/N]


    Levi knew this was a long time coming. He always intended on hitting Bronze rank to better protect his family and the town, and now the time is finally here. [Y]


    Levi''s vision went dark. A wave of heat washed over him, and he started to sweat profusely. Then he felt a torrent of electricity hit him. It ran from his head to his feet then back up again. He regained his vision, and just when he thought it was done, everything went dark again. It was as if he was encased in darkness. It became bone-chillingly cold. In Levi''s head, he could hear whispers. None of it he could understand, even though he had the race skill Master Linguist. Then the cold subsided, he began to feel the heat from the fire, and his vision slowly came back. He was sitting by the fire still, the cave walls still shining bright. He could feel the cool draft on his back coming from the main cave system behind him. Levi checked his status screen, and he was officially Bronze rank. He was unsure if that''s how all rank ups were, but he shrugged. "Well, that was wild," Levi laughed. He stood up and started out of the small cave into the main cave system. He went back to the others. His status read as follows:


    **Name:** Levi Law


    **Age:** 33


    **Level:** 25


    **Rank:** Bronze


    **Class:** Stormforged


    **Race:** Human


    **Profession:** Innkeeper


    **Health:** 4,750/4,750


    **Mana:** 1,750/1,750


    **Stamina:** 3,800/3,800


    **Stats:**


    - Strength: 475


    - Vitality: 475


    - Perception: 225


    - Willpower: 350


    - Intelligence: 350


    **Race Skills:**


    [Cataclysm]


    1. Damage Amplification: The more damage you take, the more damage you can deal.


    2. Second Wind: When your HP falls below a certain threshold, you gain a temporary boost to your abilities.


    3. Enhanced Abilities: During the Second Wind state, your abilities are enhanced, allowing you to deal more damage and gain other benefits.


    [Humanity''s Inspiration] +100 to all stats


    [Master Linguist] Understand and speak all intelligent languages and forms of communication.


    [Advanced Health Recovery] Recover from damage much faster; wounds heal easier and poisons are less effective.


    **Skills:**


    - Magic Manipulation


    - Magic Infusion


    **Spells:**


    - Abyssal Lightning


    **Affinity:**


    - Lightning


    - Abyssal


    Levi made his way back towards everyone. Armorica greeted him. He had a big grin as he told her about some of his upgrades, and she was flabbergasted at what he told her. She said, "If this is the work of some bloody god, we don''t want it. We''re not some pawns in a game of who''s dick is bigger." She said to the ceiling. Levi laughed, "I said something similar. I''m going to check in with Reggie."


    "Reggie, what''s the move here? Crainwall came from the west. The only thing we know of west are the grand plains. The rank of the monsters out there are Bronze and Silver. The low rankers they brought with them would never have survived."


    "If I had to guess, they used some teleportation to place their forces to the west and gather the bandits on their way here. I have a feeling there''s more war parties like this one hitting as many fringe towns as they can. While one or two towns don''t matter, hitting them all... that will shake the hornets'' nest," Reginald explained.


    "What''s our next move? We don''t know how far this cave goes or what''s deeper inside. Going west won''t work. Going north is only more mountains. We can''t travel in our condition back east. Isn''t an option.... south?" Levi pondered out loud.


    "I would rather go back and fight than go south. The Bul Dor marsh has seen Gold rank monsters in recent times."


    "So we go west into the plains, hugging the mountains to the ocean, then..."


    BOOM a massive explosion interrupted Levi. BOOM BOOM explosions rocked the cave.

 Chapter four: Pointy blue hat and unlimited power

    When Levi found out about the unknown racial skill, it was before the last rift opened. He was in deep meditation in Nefaria''s capital city, Lyraea, training to be an adventurer when Armorica came into the training hall at the guild.


    "Levi, I think I''m pregnant! I keep throwing up, I''m exhausted, and if I focus real hard when I meditate, I can almost see her."


    Levi''s eyes shot open. "I''m going to be a dad!? How much time do we have? Are you sure it''s a girl? What should we name her?" Levi blurted out.


    "We have plenty of time. I think it''s still very early. I don''t know, we can come up with some names later. Finish your training today and come home. I''ll make your favorite!" Armorica said happily.


    Levi nodded his head, brimming with excitement and a grin that stayed with him almost all day. He had a meeting with an adventurer guild advisor soon to talk about his skills and abilities. Many use the help of the adventurers'' guild to figure out what path they want to walk. The advisor was an old man in a blue robe with gold lace on the edges, with... you guessed it, a blue pointy hat also with gold trim. The man instructed Levi to begin meditation and allow him to see his status. When the advisor saw his unknown racial skill, he told Levi to stop.


    "My boy, have you been told anything about your unknown racial skill?" the old man inquired.


    "No, nobody but you and my wife even know that I have it," Levi said.


    "Well, it''s said that unknown skills are generally some of the most powerful and impossible to know the prerequisite to unlock. For it to be a racial skill, no less, that is extremely rare and can lead to many powerful outcomes." The old man was buzzing at this point. "The difference in unknown skills and unknown racial skills is that it is tied to your very soul; it''s part of you. It will grow in power much faster than other skills, and its evolutions could alter your soul. It could give you unlimited power! You could be a true champion of Nefaria! An absolutely talented adventurer you''ll become. You will be able to travel the different dimensions and see the world!" The old man was shouting at this point.


    Levi was ecstatic leaving the meeting. On his walk, he saw a woman with a cute little girl walking next to her, holding her hand and taking big wobbly steps while giggling, and he froze. It was at this moment he knew he had a choice to make: discover this skill and become an adventurer that roams the world fighting battles and probably dying an early death... or become a father and raise his new family and live a life of relative peace. Levi made his way to his house to tell Armorica the news and his decision.


    He returned home and told his wife what happened during the meeting, then told her about how he felt. "You have a gift, Levi. You could become something extraordinary. We will be here safe and sound if you choose that path," she said.


    "I want to know my daughter, I want a family, I want to enjoy a peaceful life. That''s what will fulfill me. I don''t need to walk a path of death and conquest for that," Levi said.


    Armorica was a mess at this point, so happy her husband wanted to be a father and chose her and their unborn daughter over a life of adventure and danger. She leaned in for a hug. That''s when the alarms started going off, alerting all adventurer guild members to a crisis. Levi stepped outside and a magic orb was flying through the air.


    "A rift has appeared at the capital city of Martok. All adventurers able to fight are hereby enlisted to the vanguard. Report to the muster yard for further instructions!" Then the orb flew off yelling the same message. Levi ran as fast as he could to Armorica.


    "We have to leave now! A rift opened in Martok. All adventurers are being sent as the vanguard. If I go, I''ll be walking that path. My place is by your side with our family." Levi shouted. He had made his decision; he would give up being an adventurer to raise his family.


    He would be branded as a class two deserter. Class one is someone that leaves the guild or the military while not in a crisis or war. Class two was leaving during a crisis or war. One and two deserters were generally caught when they entered a different nation or city during the entrance checks. Class three was something almost nobody is classified as. The nation of origin will place a bounty on and actively send investigators out to track down and apprehend. Levi knew he would be labeled as a class two, which would be problematic moving forward. He would have to find a town or city and bribe an official or gate guard. The thought of making a farm out on the fringe was appealing, but Levi didn''t have a green thumb. If you asked Armorica, he was the grim reaper of plants with a thumb as dark as the void.


    "If we do this, Levi, we''ll be labeled as criminals. We''ll have to find somewhere to hide long enough to be forgotten."


    "I''ll go to the market district and speak with a few caravans, and the tavern owner. They should know something, at least point us in the right direction."


    "Just be careful what questions you ask and who you talk to. They will be rewarded for turning us in," Armorica said. Levi gave her a kiss.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "I''ll be back as fast as I can." Levi made his way to the market district. There weren''t many guards due to the call to arms of the adventurers'' guild. The guards were on alert for demons coming from the rift. Martok was five hundred kilometers from Lyraea, but high rank demons could travel that in an instant, and even some low rank fast-moving scout demons could cover that distance in minutes.


    Levi found a caravan leader he had seen around before and asked how his trip was to the fringe towns, if they saw anything of note. After a few stories, he asked the man if Levi could buy him a drink and enjoy a lunch on him. The man happily agreed and they went into the tavern named the Maiden''s Rest. This was one of Levi''s favorite places with the best atmosphere. He placed an order for food and pints then sat down. After a few pints, he began asking about his favorite fringe towns and locations. The man happily told him anything he wanted to hear. He told Levi of Lockden, San Torro, and Haaz. The caravan leader said his favorite was Lockden. Its location and its mayor, while not directly corrupt, the mayor runs the town as his own little kingdom and leaves a lot of the Nefarian politics and minor laws out of his town. He went on to say he thinks the mayor has the town''s best interest at heart and that he was a respectable man.


    "Hold on a second. Hey Jimmy John! Didn''t you just see Reginald, the mayor of Lockden, yesterday?"


    "Yeah, and he owes me seventy-five credits. He better not leave town before paying me!" A short bearded dwarf in the back of the tavern yelled, "He''s probably on a diplomatic mission to acquire funds for Lockden." He suggested checking with the tavern owner to see if he knows if the mayor is still here, as chances are he was staying at the inn next door.


    "Thanks, I''ll do just that," Levi said, placing seventy credits on the table for the pints and meal, plus a tip for the waitress.


    After speaking with the tavern owner, he confirmed that the mayor of Lockden was still in town. His name was Reginald, and he had a knack for racking up high gambling debts every time he came to town. Levi went to the back corner where he heard the voice yell from earlier but couldn''t place the voice to the man.


    "Hey Jimmy John! Where are ya!?" Levi yelled.


    "Who wants ter know!?" the dwarf shot back.


    "I got a deal for ya," Levi said. Levi explained he needed to meet with the man that owed him money so Levi would pay the man''s debt with a little interest, and the dwarf would make the introduction. The dwarf was more than happy to take the deal. Levi sat in the back corner of the tavern waiting on the dwarf to find Reginald. Levi waited for about thirty minutes before the dwarf ran into the tavern.


    "This be the feller that paid ye tab, Reggie. Not sure why ya want me to hang around, make sure he don''t want no funny business?" The man waved his hand.


    "No, Jim, I think I''ll be okay. So to whom do I owe my gratitude, and why would you pay a stranger''s gambling debt?"


    "Levi, and I''ll be honest, I''m taking a long shot here. I''ve heard good things about you and your small fringe town. I need a place to... lay low for a long time," Levi said.


    "Listen, bud, we get all types like you running to the wild lands to get away from the law. So which is it? Gamblin'', murder, or something worse?" Holding his hands up and shaking his head, Levi said, "Nothing like that."


    "Ugh, fuck it," he thought to himself. "My wife is pregnant. I am an adventurer with exceptional potential¡ªor so I''m told. I want safe passage for me and my wife to your town and for you to not turn us in. I''ll help protect the town and contribute. I simply want a chance... at a life." Levi laid it all out on the table in brutal honesty.


    "Well, that''s a new one," Reginald said, rubbing his chin. "Say I do this¡ªcan I count on you to join the town''s militia and train some of the boys? The wild lands ain''t no joke, bud. Bandits, monsters, and all in between roam around trying to take from Lockden."


    Levi couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "You give me and my family a chance, I''ll put my life on the line time and time again for you and that town."


    Reginald thought for a moment before he grabbed the pint in front of him and cheersed Levi. "I think I can do that, Levi. Meet me by the south gate tonight. We''ll ride with the caravan heading for Lockden," Reginald said.


    Levi couldn''t hide his grin. "I''ll meet you there at sunset," Levi said. He was ecstatic that his harebrained scheme actually paid off and now had a way out of the city and a place to hide out. He had to get home to Armorica and let her know the plan.


    "And so that''s the plan... what do you think?" Levi said.


    "What do I think?! Are you crazy!? You want me to trust some random ''mayor'' of some town on the fringe, gather up all our stuff and travel a thousand kilometers with a caravan, in HOPES that the guy doesn''t turn us in for that sweet reward money?!"


    "When you say it like that, it does sound bad... but I can feel it. This guy is different than most, and I can''t find any other options. It''s this or we stay." Armorica thought for a moment with a deep breath.


    She said, "Okay, let''s go." Levi''s eyes came back to life. "Okay, let''s grab only what we need. We have to meet them at sunset; the caravan leaves shortly after."


    They gathered the stuff they thought they would need and made for the south gate of Lyraea.


    "Reginald, this is my wife, Armorica. Armorica, Reginald." He grabbed her hand and kissed the top while giving a slight bow.


    "Ma''am, it''s a pleasure to meet you. Your husband has told me the situation. I''ll put my neck out just a little for y''all, if you''ll do the same for me and Lockden. I understand you can do a bit of healing?" Reginald asked.


    "I can do some healing, light ranged attacks, and buffs. What makes you want to take us on? Why? This can''t be because my husband paid some barrak debt."


    "I feel for you guys. Lockden will always be a haven for those in need, and if you guys get caught, I''ll just deny I knew anything. I get a new militia trainer and healer and only have to get you guys there and set up. Seems like an easy win for me," Reginald said.


    "Reginald, the caravan''s ready. Time to mount up," a militia-man said.


    "Armorica, why don''t you climb up into that wagon there, and Levi will ride with the militia and me out here. Gives me a chance to get to know him a bit more, and gets you off them feet."


    "Why, thank you, Reginald." Levi helped his wife get into the wagon and set up for a long ride, then climbed onto the horse Reginald had waiting for him. He rode alongside Reginald for most of the trip. They were within one hundred kilometers of Lockden when an explosion rocked the caravan. The front and rear wagons were hit at the same time. Mages using fire spells began firing spells into the militia and the wagons. Levi sprang into action, infusing lightning magic into himself and Armor''s Bane. He and his hammer crackled with power. Moving like a bolt of lightning himself, he closed the distance on the first mage in the tree line, smashing down on the man''s shoulder, blowing the arm and part of his neck apart. Levi swiftly moved down the line, smashing one bandit after another until the last one, who raised his hands, was swiftly cut down by a dark-skinned man holding a small dagger brimming with green energy.


    "Lockden don''t take bandit prisoners," Reginald said.


    After a brief break to fix the wagons and heal the caravan members. "Okay, you should be okay till we get there. Keep it clean and wrapped up. I''ll take another look. Also, take this for the pain," Armorica said to the wagoneer, who was very grateful to have a healer on hand to deal with what would have been life-threatening burns.


    "That''s the last one. I''m ready when you are," she said to Reginald. He motioned to the caravan leader to move out, and they started their last part of the trek to Lockden.


    "That was some fine bandit slaying," Reginald said.


    "Thanks. I can''t believe these bastards are really out here doing this to people," Levi said.


    "It''s tough out here, and the large cities never have to deal with it. They''re so far removed from life out here, all they care about is collecting taxes from us." Levi nodded in agreement. "Also, friends call me Reggie."


    "Okay, Reggie, does Lockden have an inn?"

 Chapter five: Fear and dread

    Large chunks of the cave were falling all over. Reginald ran over to the closest person and grabbed them, blocking as many chunks of rock from hitting them as he could. Levi moved faster than he ever did in his life, grabbing everyone in his path heading toward his family. He smashed large chunks out of the air with his hammer in one hand and two people under his other arm when he made it to his family. Emma, Savine''s friend, was standing up while everyone else was crouching. She had both hands raised, casting a defensive barrier spell. The chunks of ceiling were slamming into the barrier and piling up on the sides. Levi tossed the townsfolk through, then leaped through himself.


    "Emma, you got this?"


    "Hope so," she said, letting out a small laugh. "Just let me know if you can''t hold the spell anymore," Levi said.


    The explosions kept going in the background as boulders slammed into the barrier. Emma was struggling to maintain the barrier.


    "Mr. Levi, I''m almost out of mana. What should I do?" she asked.


    "Okay, just hold it up a little longer. I''ll try and break as many above us as I can," Levi replied.


    Levi readied Abyssal Lightning and unleashed it into the boulders above them. While electricity doesn''t pass through earth or rock well, the abyssal affinity mixed in helped it pass through the boulders with ease. They began to crackle, and veins of black started stretching across them, and they broke apart. After the small rocks rained down and off the side of the barrier, Levi told Emma to drop the barrier. She complied and let the spell fade. She dropped her arms and let out a big sigh.


    "Did we all make it? Is everyone okay? Did I hold it long enough?" She was worried that she wasn''t strong enough and couldn''t make a barrier big enough, that her lack of experience and skill killed someone.


    "Your timing and ability to hold that barrier spell that long saved us, Emma," Levi said while patting her on the shoulder. She smiled, "Thanks, Mr. Levi."


    Char was not happy about this situation, and she let everyone know it. Her crying could pierce the strongest defense. Armorica was trying to calm her down. It was dusty and dark in the cave now; everyone was coughing from the dust from the collapse. Levi was calling out for Reginald. He wasn''t sure if Reginald had a spell or skill that could defend multiple people in a situation like this. A boulder rolled off the top of a heap of rubble, and screams could be heard from below.


    "Armorica, they need healing!" Levi shouted. He started throwing boulders to the side, looking for anyone alive in the rubble. He dug and threw large pieces after piece when he came across Reginald, who saved as many as he could. His arm was severed; his legs, ribs, and hip were broken. While Armorica was an exceptional healer, she couldn''t regrow lost limbs. That''s not to say it couldn''t be done; it was just beyond her skill. They removed Reginald and bandaged him up and began casting buffs and healing spells to limit his pain and kickstart the process. He had saved many, but to the left and right of him were three people that weren''t as lucky. This pissed Levi off. On the battlefield, taking lives meant nothing to him, but at home in an innocent town, a surprise attack and then hunting the survivors down made his blood boil.


    The cave system now was a wreck. The walls and boulders of the cave still gave off a glow that helped a little with navigating the cave. The dust was beginning to settle, and Reginald was in as good a shape as they could manage. Armorica kept him alive while Savine helped keep him asleep. They had to start moving. The entrance was gone and under far too much rock and earth to move, so deeper into the cave they would go. They passed the room Levi had ranked up in. This was as far as anyone there had gone. Beyond this, the cave''s mana got stronger, indicating that beyond this point, there could be strong monsters ahead.


    The cave was dark with a faint glow from the walls. The smell had changed to something like blood and mold. The air was damp and cold. Levi was out in front leading the way while the most able-bodied militia brought up the rear with the injured in the center. They kept a tight formation and moved slowly, taking breaks often. Levi moved cautiously through the tunnel before him when it split into two different paths, and they stopped to make a decision, this being the first split they''ve come across.


    "Let''s hang out here a minute," Levi said. Taking out a pack, he started handing out jerky to everyone.


    "Levi, your jerky is a lifesaver! Thank you!" a man from the militia said. It was jerky from a red horned stag that he had hunted that fall. Its meat is packed with healing properties.


    "So, left or right?" Armorica said.


    "Not sure it matters. Both ways are bathed in strong mana, dark and smell like shit. I''ll probably flip a coin," Levi said.


    Armorica let out a small laugh. "Lead the way, pathfinder."


    Levi sat down next to Savine, who was sitting by Reginald''s side changing his blood-soaked bandages.


    "How''s he doing, kiddo?" Levi asked.


    "He''s in bad shape but stable. Have you found a way out yet?" Savine whispered.


    "No, we might have a long trek here. Let me know when you''re ready to move, and we''ll pick a direction," Levi replied as he handed her some jerky, Savine gasped, "You had jerky this whole time!? Is it the red stag jerky!?" She bit down on a piece and closed her eyes. It was indeed the red stag jerky, her favorite.


    "Make sure you share with Emma," Levi said with a smile.


    Levi made his way back to the split in the tunnel and sat down, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. He was entering a meditative state and hoping to find a path that leads out of the mountain. He was about to stand up when he heard a whisper, much like when he ranked up. He couldn''t understand what it was saying, but when he focused on the left path, he heard the whispers. This could be part of the abyssal affinity... or a high-level monster using telepathy.


    "We''re ready to move when you are," Armorica said. She kissed him on the cheek. Levi opened his eyes.


    "We go left," Levi said. She nodded her head.


    "I''ll get Reginald ready then."


    With the refugees of Lockden ready to move, they began down the left path. It was slow going, and nothing of note had happened when the tunnel that was just big enough for a few people to stand side by side opened up into a massive cavern. He couldn''t see either side, just darkness. Levi stepped into the cavern slowly and looked up, not seeing the ceiling either.


    "This cavern is huge. We should hug the right wall and move around the side," Levi said to the group.


    They started moving through the large cavern. It was getting colder, and the smell was getting worse. It was starting to affect Char, who was now waking up from the spell and starting to cry. Armorica tried to feed her, but she didn''t want to eat. Savine tried to soothe her, but nothing was working. Levi came over and placed a hand on her chest. Char grabbed his finger and squeezed hard; she was scared.


    "DADA!!" she wailed.


    "Something isn''t right. I can sense her fear. It''s building in Savine. Even some of the men are starting to waver. It might be a monster in this cavern using some kind of aura to create fear and dread," Levi whispered to Armorica.


    "I''ll start buffing everyone. It should boost morale a bit too," she replied.


    Levi gathered three men: an archer, a mage, and a brawler. The plan was essentially to walk around blindly in this large cavern until they found the way out. The team was placed at the front of the group. Levi knew whatever was in the cavern would be tough. Monsters with auras like this tended to be strong, and given they hadn''t run into any in the cave, it meant it had killed everything else here. But he couldn''t lie; he was excited to use his new abilities because deep down, he really liked being an adventurer.


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    The refugees started their way into the cavern, moving along the right side. They walked for ten minutes without anything happening.


    "Let''s stop here for a minute. I gotta take a leak," the archer said, walking away from the group for a little privacy. So they waited, and that''s when the monster showed itself. As the archer was peeing, the monster took his head off in an instant and then disappeared into the darkness with no time to react.


    "What the fuck was that!?" the brawler yelled out.


    The monster now showing itself came from out of the dark and landed on top of the man, claws digging into him. Its skin was as black as the void with yellow serpent eyes, a long neck, and massive wings. It snapped its head down, bit the brawler still crushed under its claws, and shredded the man in half. Levi recognized the monster as a wyvern¡ªsome subterranean variant specializing in ambush and concealment¡ªwhich generally meant it was strong offensively but lacked defense. Levi infused Armor''s Bane with Abyssal Lightning then started casting Abyssal Armor. His armor began twisting and morphing. Spikes grew out of the pauldrons, his helmet looked like the face of a demon with large dark horns. The color changed into black and purple, but the weight felt like nothing. He had full mobility as if he didn''t wear anything at all.


    The wyvern dashed back into the darkness as the mage charged a fireball. He held the spell for a moment, looking all around before fear started to set in as he looked around him in a panic. The wyvern flew into view with its claws up, ready to pounce onto the mage. Levi raised his hand; black and purple lightning shot forth, striking the wyvern, which dropped early from its attack, landing in front of the mage. He raised his staff with both hands; lines of fire started twisting through the wooden staff. It was at its breaking point. The mage released the spell. A massive swirling fireball erupted from the staff as it shattered, striking the wyvern square in the face. The wyvern was blown apart; pieces landed all around. The mage was covered in charred wyvern bits.


    [You have killed level 70 Bat Wyvern]


    [You have gained a level]


    "Gods of Seraphim guide and protect their souls, allow them to find peace in your realm," Armorica said as she laid a blanket over the dead.


    "We need to get moving. We can mourn our lost after we get out of here," Levi said.


    They picked up and started down the right wall of the cavern again, moving at a slow pace. The smell was getting more bearable, and the floor of the cave was getting muddy and sloppy. It was excruciating to move through. Everyone took turns carrying Reginald''s litter.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I''d say this cave was trying to kill us," Levi said through bated breath.


    "There has to be a way out. We can''t give up hope. You and I must stay strong. Look at these people," Armorica whispered.


    Levi turned around to see the people of Lockden. They were bloodied, bandaged, and covered head to toe in mud and dirt. Most were almost out of mana and covered in scrapes and bruises from the cave.


    "They''re barely hanging on. If we falter, none of us will survive," she whispered.


    Levi raised his hand to halt the refugees. "Let''s stop here and take a break." Levi was exhausted. Even his new Bronze rank body was pushed to its limit. They had to fight off the occasional bat monster, but they disliked fire and light, so it was easy to scare them off. But even so, Levi and the mage were utterly spent.


    Levi plopped down next to the mage, covering him in mud. They looked at each other and started laughing uncontrollably.


    "What a shit show, but can''t say it hasn''t been fun!" Levi blurted out in between laughs.


    "This really was a nightmare. I''m Keenan," the mage said, chuckling. He was a small thin-framed man with pale skin and a goatee.


    "Levi. That fireball in the wyvern''s face was something else. I really thought that staff was going to blow your hands off."


    "It nearly did!" Keenan said in between laughs.


    "What''s gotten into you two?" Armorica said.


    "At this point, we''re so tired of one disaster after another, all we can do is laugh," Levi said, Keenan nodding along. They sat there laughing and joking about how awful it''s been, with some of the others joining in. There they were, a bunch of beaten-down, broken refugees in a dark, dingy, muddy cave, laughing their asses off and joking around.


    "Holy shit, this sucks!" Reginald said, kind of laughing, kind of groaning in pain.


    "Good to see you''re still kicking, you old hoot."


    "Feels like a mountain fell on me," Reginald said, then he looked at Levi and motioned him to come closer. "Did I save them? Are they okay?" Reginald whispered.


    "There were three that didn''t make it. I''m sorry, Reggie," Levi whispered.


    Reginald nodded his head. "Any idea where the hell you''re leading us? Or are you just winging it?"


    "I found the exit hours ago. I just wanted to take one more lap around the mud cave," Levi chuckled. "Oh, I was going to make jerky out of this, but I got some wyvern meat, so guess you can have it back." Levi said, placing Reginald''s severed arm on his chest.


    "I bet you would have, you lunatic." Levi chuckled and patted his friend on the good arm.


    Levi looked to his family. Armorica was rocking Char, who was throwing mud at Emma and Savine. His best friend was on a litter, and knowing that some of the people here aren''t making it out, it''s up to him to find the exit. The pressure of leadership weighed heavy on him at this point. Taking a deep breath, he sat down and began to meditate. The cold mud made it harder to focus, but the whispers started quietly. Levi started to shift his focus around the room, and the whispers became so loud it was like a tsunami hit him.


    Levi picked himself out of the mud. "Are you okay? What happened?" Armorica asked.


    "I''m not sure, but I think the exit is that way," Levi said while shivering.


    "You''re freezing cold, what''s happening?"


    "It might have something to do with the new affinity. It''s sort of guiding me."


    "Do you think we can trust that? How can you be sure that''s the case?" Armorica asked.


    "To be honest, I don''t know whether it''s the affinity or something else, but if someone is trying to lead us into a trap, I''ll bring this entire mountain down." Armorica gave him a look that felt like he lost some health from.


    "Let''s get ready to move," Armorica said.


    Levi and Keenan took point and began slugging through the mud. They started moving uphill. It was grueling and took a while till finally¡ª


    "There''s light!" Levi yelled back behind him.


    Like healing rays, the light slowly began to bathe them, and warm, fresh air rushed in waves. With tears pouring from their faces, Savine, Emma, and Armorica climbed to stand next to Levi.


    "You did it! You found the way out!" Savine yelled, hugging him.


    "We aren''t out of the woods just yet. We have no idea where we are. Let''s get out of this damn cave and find somewhere to make a quick camp."


    So they all walked through the exit of the cave to be absolutely awestruck by the scene of rolling grasslands, beautiful blue skies, and a warm, gentle breeze. As they walked into the field before them, the mountain range behind them disappeared. Now behind them was nothing but endless grasslands.


    "Son of a bitch."

 Chapter six: The great god titan Ignis

    Levi and the group stood now in the middle of an endless sea of grasslands with his head hung low, mumbling profanities.


    "Levi, what''s happened? I wasn''t too fond of the muddy, smelly cave, but where did it go?" Keenan said.


    "I think we passed through some kind of gate or door that closed behind us."


    "Can you use your Abyssal magic to get us pointed in the right direction?" Armorica said.


    Levi once again entered meditation and tried to focus his attention in a few directions, but the whispers were quiet.


    "No, it''s not working."


    So Levi came to the conclusion that without guidance from the abyss and no landmarks of note, it didn''t matter which direction they went. Who or what brought them here would make themselves known in time.


    "Let''s go this way," he said, pointing randomly.


    "You have no idea where we''re going, do you?"


    "Got a better idea?"


    "At this point, if you told me the lava in a volcano was really a dimensional gateway, I''d jump into it to get out of this nightmare," Keenan said.


    "Wait... dimensional gateway. Keenan, we might be in a dimension attached to our world," Levi said.


    The two walked at the front, scanning around as they blazed a trail through the grass, sifting through the limited knowledge they both had on the many dimensions attached to their world.


    "There are a lot of uncharted dimensions, some belonging to ancient orders and empires long passed, and some loaded with monsters the likes our world has never seen. That''s what the book I read had to say and didn''t go into much detail on how these encounters looked," Keenan said.


    Levi had major gaps in a lot of generally common knowledge things for adventurers because he never finished his training and was never one to sit in a library and read old dusty books.


    "Well, I guess this is one of those, but we haven''t run into anything here, not that I''m complaining."


    They walked for an hour more.


    "Levi! We gotta figure this out. We''re all on our last bit of mana and stamina," Armorica hollered.


    "Let''s get to the top of this hill and go through the packs and see what we have left and rest up," Levi responded.


    It was then, as they came over the crest of the hill, he was struck by the sight of a long jet-black ornate table with ivory inlays. The grass was gone around the table. There was a beautiful red hardwood floor under the table and the chairs that matched the table. There were nineteen chairs, one tiny bed, and one larger adult-sized bed. After a quick head count, that was the same number of people present with the tiny bed for Char and the larger bed for Reginald. The table had the biggest banquet they''ve ever seen: large roasted boars, huge slabs of meat, and massive crustacean claws. There was a big keg with pints next to it. In front of each chair were plates and utensils. Levi looked back at everyone.


    "This is almost one hundred percent a trap, but we''re probably going to die anyway sooooo should we at least die with full bellies, right?" Levi joked.


    Everyone looked at each other and nodded. Levi watched on guard as everyone took their seats. There was a chair at the head of the table more ornate and intricate than the rest. It was larger with gold and ivory inlays. The jet-black obsidian had swirling purple inside it. Nobody sat in this chair as they all could tell it was for Levi. Once everyone took their seats and nothing happened, Levi sat down still on guard. He waited, but nothing happened.


    "Well... dig in everyone."


    They ate and drank to their heart''s content. The keg never ran dry. It was a miracle that Levi had a sneaking suspicion he would have to pay for soon, but for now, they had to rest and replenish. It was two hours into the meal when Levi''s suspicions were confirmed. A pillar much like the chair Levi was sitting in rose from the ground. Then another rose next to it, creating a colonnade. At the end was a large double-door archway of truly amazing craftsmanship. Everyone was startled, but Levi and Armorica were not happy.


    "I thought we told you I''d not be your pawn!" His chair rotated towards the entryway. Levi looked back to Armorica and Savine, then back to the door.


    "Son of a bitch." He stood up, grabbed a fresh pint, and started walking towards the door. When he got there, he could hear the whispers. He could almost understand them; they were urging him to open the door and walk inside. As he reached for the handle, he stopped and looked back. Savine was up out of her chair, running towards him, but as she passed, Armorica grabbed her in a bear hug. At this point, Levi could hear nothing but the whispers. He grabbed ahold of the handle and turned it. The large door creaked open, and he stepped inside, the door slowly closing on its own behind him. What he saw when he entered and the door closed behind him was a staircase he couldn''t see the end of and tall columns holding up a massive mural. All the construction was like the table and chairs outside, ornate obsidian with a swirling purple hue and ivory and gold inlays.


    "Bit much," Levi said out loud as he started walking up the stairs. He looked at the mural as he climbed, and it depicted a race of large humans ascending to godhood and the people that followed them worshipping and loving them. Their civilization prospered, the people were happy, but when other races achieved godhood, they tried to overthrow the large humans but failed. After thousands of years, the other races made an alliance and attacked again, this time using magic Levi had never seen. Titans suffered and fell one by one in agony. Then more rifts than could be counted opened, and archdemons joined the fight. Eventually, the large gods either fell or were banished. The demons attached their dimensions to our world.


    "Is this the history of our world? The demons'' dimensions weren''t always attached? Seems like the lesser gods made a deal with the literal devil to usurp the first gods," Levi thought to himself.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    He climbed the stairs for what felt like hours. When he finally reached the top, it opened up into a large circular shape lined with columns. This time the mural depicted one massive, pissed-off god standing against all the rifts in a final stand, archdemons on the frontlines. He held a huge hammer in one hand, lightning crackled from it. He raised it high and brought the world to its knees. "Son of a bitch was going to tear the planet in half."


    "That was the plan," a deep, gravelly voice echoed. "Those lowly gods made a deal with the demons that ultimately backfired on everyone. They succeeded in wiping out the titans, but with us all but gone, nothing was left to stop the demon hordes. I was going to tear this world in half after what those miserable demons did," the voice echoed and almost made Levi buckle, but he stood tall with blood running from his ears. He turned around, and what he saw made his jaw drop. It was the massive humanoid man depicted in the mural¡ªthe last titan. He was slouched in a huge ornate throne that brimmed with swirling purple energy. The titan had one leg over the side, leaning on an armrest. He wore beautiful heavy plate armor that was etched with runes and studded with gems. Next to him was the hammer, giving off an aura much like a very, very angry monster. The hammer was the size of a house, with a square head on either side. In the center was a vortex of energy glowing white, blue, and purple. It caught Levi''s eye more than the titan did... Levi was a sucker for a good hammer.


    "So I guess you''re the god that''s been trying to make me his pawn. Not sure if you heard the lady, but the answer is no. If you''re going to kill me, then so be it," Levi said with a trembling hand. He tried infusing magic into himself and his hammer.


    "AHAHAHA! You really are fucking nuts! AHAHAHA! When faced with the first God titan, you tell me to kick rocks and prepare to strike me as a fresh Bronze ranker!?" At this point, the titan was doubled over laughing uncontrollably. "Levi, you fool, you aren''t a pawn." He stopped laughing. "You are the hammer and the anvil, the forge and the flame! You think the race skill Cataclysm is something anyone just gets?" The titan bellowed. "You are a Cataclysm incarnate! You will bring about the destruction of this corrupted world and free me from my banishment! To make this world right again, a Cataclysm is needed."


    The titan said, "What if I refuse?"


    "It doesn''t matter. You are on a path that ultimately will lead you where you belong. I can help you. In return, all I ask for is you kill the fuckers that ruined this world and killed my family!" The great being shouted.


    In the moment Levi heard and felt the tone of the god''s voice, the pain and the anger of losing loved ones. He thought about his family and their future. It didn''t look good, him being a deserter, the war that is to come between Crainwall and Nefaria.


    "I am nobody''s pawn. I do not see myself on equal footing as a god, but in this deal, we are equals. You keep my family here and safe, have them train and learn all they can, allow me freedom to choose my path, fight who and how I want. I want a way to come and go from this dimension," Levi said confidently.


    "You sure got a set on you! AHAHA! I''ll do you one better!" In front of Levi floated a scroll¡ªa contract scroll. They were system-made contracts that not even gods could tamper with or escape. The contract read as follows:


    [ System contract ]


    [ This contract is between Ignis and Levi Law. The conditions are: Ignis will keep Levi''s family and group safe and offer guidance and training to those willing to learn. Ignis will provide Levi a means of dimensional travel to his realm. Ignis will guide and mentor Levi. Levi will attempt to grow in power and investigate the gods responsible for making the deal with the demons and bring them to justice. Levi will find the demons responsible for killing Ignis''s kin. Failure to do any of the above by either party will result in death. As a show of good faith, Ignis will provide a blessing. ]


    [ The god titan''s blessing ]


    Plus 200 to all stats.


    Adds bonus damage to all lightning and Abyssal affinity attacks based on intelligence. Allows immunity to godly presences.


    Levi was stunned after reading this, "So if you fail, betray me, or try to force me to do something, you will die?" Levi said.


    "You underestimate how much I hate those responsible. What''s the point of being a god if I''m trapped in my realm and everyone is dead? You are my only way of striking back. Even if you are only a Bronze ranker now, I see you reaching godhood someday. You will be the catalyst that will close the rifts and free the world of the demons. So yes, I am willing to stake my life on you. Plus, that Abyssal affinity is not something many know how to deal with. With training, you will be a true Cataclysm."


    "How do you know about that and my race skill?"


    "This is my realm, Levi! I know everything that happens here. I have complete control!" Ignis shouted.


    "Okay, it''s a deal, but you better keep my family safe, you hear!"


    Just as he yelled out, the table with his family appeared in front of him, all accounted for and safe.


    "What the fuck!?" Keenan yelled as he fell to the ground. The god reigned in his presence almost completely.


    "Levi! Is this the fucker?!" Armorica shouted.


    "AHAHAHAHA!" Ignis almost fell out of his throne at this point. "You are a tough one!" Levi and Ignis explained the situation in detail to everyone. Nobody was forced to stay or to fight; they could come and go as they pleased but were informed that leaving would make it impossible for Ignis to protect them and that he isn''t liable for their death outside his realm. Armorica knew this wasn''t exactly an ideal situation, but they had to make the best of it, and it meant carving out a future for Savine and Char. One they didn''t have to fight endless wars in.


    "Hey Iggy, can you do me a favor?" Levi said, pointing at Reginald''s arm.


    Ignis stared at Levi like he wanted to kill him for the nickname, then looked at the wounded man laying on the bed. He stood up and walked to Reginald. With each step, he got smaller and smaller until he was the same size as Levi. He reached out, grabbed the dirty severed arm, placed it near where it should be. As Ignis infused Reginald''s arm with magic, the arm began to change into the same ornate material the building was made of, with intricate designs, gold and ivory inlays, and studded with gemstones.


    "I am not a healer by trade. Even as a god, this is the best I can do. That arm will be unbreakable. With training, it could become the greatest weapon he will ever wield."


    Reginald''s mouth was wide open, looking at his new arm. "Holy shit! Th... thank you!" Reginald stuttered.


    "Levi, is our contract acceptable?"


    Looking back at everyone, then toward Ignis, Levi said, "Yeah, it''s acceptable," reaching out and shaking the god''s hand. With that, the god''s presence pulsed out. He placed a hand on Levi''s shoulder and gave him the blessing. Light shined out of Levi''s eyes and mouth, his skin was almost see-through, and power pulsed through Levi like he''d never felt before. It was like getting a hundred buffs at the same time.


    [You have received a blessing]


    With that, the contract was done, and Levi was accepting the fact that he had to become the Cataclysm that tears the world down so it could be rebuilt better and stronger, protecting the innocent and bringing those responsible to justice. Armorica glared at the titan.


    "I don''t trust you. You want him to grow powerful and fight your battles for you while you sit here like a slouch, moping around. My husband has all the risk and none of the reward." Armorica stared down the titan, who came over to her and summoned two chairs. They both sat down. He raised his hand, gesturing to the murals.


    "What you see painted on the ceiling is my failure. We titans were the first to obtain godhood in known history. We didn''t hide how we did it; we shared our knowledge and blessings with the other races. But with power comes greed and jealousy. The other races grew jealous of how the titans prospered and our power. One titan could take on five gods from other races at the same time."


    He continued, "The first uprising was surprising, to say the least. The other gods attacked the innocent; cities and nations were razed in an instant. The titan response was swift and merciful. Many attackers were spared, which only fueled the flames of hate."


    Armorica listened intently; the fire that burned in her was slowly calming.


    "Thousands of years later, the lesser gods made a deal with the demons. Consumed by hatred and lust for power, the demons and lesser gods used twisted magic never seen before on this world that left devastating scars. My family stood on the frontline. My wife and three sons were some of the first of the second battle to fall to this magic. It was like a poison that was alive. The more it drained, the hungrier it got until it completely consumed them. It was slow, it was painful, and it couldn''t be stopped."


    Armorica, Reginald, and Levi all listened quietly, thinking of their family and friends. Armorica opened her mouth to speak, "Ignis, I..."


    He held his hand up, and after a moment, he spoke, pain in his voice, "After... I was forced to watch them suffer, I cut through a hundred gods like butter. Three entire races, Copper rank to gods, were wiped from existence. I was devastated. If the world was to be taken by the demons, I was going to split it in half. But before I could build up enough magic, the demons and remaining gods trapped me. Not being able to actually kill me, they banished me, trapping me here. I''ve been stuck in this realm under that fucking mountain for so, so long. This world will chew your family up if they find out what he can do. I will always support and protect the Law family. You have my word."


    The titan knelt before Armorica with tears welling in his eyes. "I swear, if I am ever released from this banishment, the Laws will always be protected, no matter the enemy. My word is all I have left, Armorica, so that is what I give you. Allow me the chance for redemption."


    The great god titan Ignis bowed his head while kneeling before Armorica, who had tears pouring down her face. She stood up and walked in front of the titan, bringing him to his feet and hugging him tightly. For a brief moment, the titan cried, finally mourning his wife and children after all these years.


    "The Laws and Lockden will support you, Ignis. We will bring hope back to this world and make a new one in its place side by side," Armorica announced. She had a look in her teary eyes that gave Levi the chills. "Oh man, she''s going to be up to no good in here," he sighed internally.


    Savine leapt out of the shadows and grabbed Levi. "I''m not letting go!" she yelled.


    "I''m not going anywhere for a little while! Stop, you''re going to make us fall!" And with that, they both fell to the ground, which made Char giggle and laugh uncontrollably.


    "AHAHAH, it''s been a long, long time since these halls were graced by beauty and laughter like this. Please allow me to throw a feast. We will share stories of our dead and remember great battles!" Ignis bellowed.


    "We really need to work on your inside voice," Savine said, shaking her head, which got another obnoxious laugh from the titan.