Warpath

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POV: Astaros

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I awoke slowly, my eyes adjusting to the morning sun coming through my window. My bedsheets strewn across me in an unruly way as though I had gone to war while I slept. I slowly got up and frowned, cracking my neck while slightly annoyed at the crick in it I had gotten from sleeping weirdly.

I got up, stretched and began to sharpen and streamline my groggy mind. I had to do two things today. Prepare to train Dryis and talk with Fillia a little bit.

'Fillia can you hear me?' {Astaros}

I stood on the rug beside my bed, the wooden floor creaking under my weight as my armor began to cradle my body.

'E-eh Astaros?' {Fillia}

I smiled as my helmet formed around my head and I cast my shadow field covering me in dark element.

'I told you it wasn't a dream.' {Astaros}

I couldn't see it but I knew she was basically steaming now. We had basically sat and cuddled in the soul scape the entire night. Now that I was aware of her feelings I think I may respond to them. This world may be unfamiliar to me but having a partner is something I never truly got to do back in my old one either so while I am not inexperienced in the acts that happened during a relationship I don't really have any experience actually having a true friend to girlfriend to marriage type relationship. And I think this time I'll try it.

'But first…' {Astaros}

I thought for a second before stepping towards the door.

'I need a sword as Dryis is definitely beyond the point where wooden poles would be useful. Perhaps I should make a blade of my own. That would allow me to imbue it to my heart's content without overstraining the material. Besides, although I enjoy and am very comfortable fighting with my fists, a weapon's range can make a huge difference in battle.' {Astaros}

I opened the door as the refurbished wood creaked. This place wasn't very old but you could tell the current ownership was taking care of it.

Deciding the maintenance was satisfactory I walked out and went downstairs looking around for Fillia to see her sitting with a cup slightly trembling.

"Yo Fillia" {Astaros}

She jumped at my call as I walked over, sliding into the slightly small wooden seat, My knees hitting the underside of the table.

Fillia was glaring at me with both curiosity and caution plus a little nervousness swirling in her eyes. I sat back and waved over a waitress before ordering the eggs and bacon again as I liked how Katia seasoned the yolk.

"A-am I gonna start hearing your voice in my head all the time now?" {Fillia}

It seems this may have really rattled her. Well it was involuntary and kind of invasive. I sighed. This is why I was concerned about the fact that these links are being made without any form of permission from either side.

"Fillia this is not a choice I make but something that happens whenever I begin to trust someone and to answer your question unless it's a strong emotion or I decide to tell you it won't show up in your head." {Astaros}

I grabbed her shaking hand and got her to look at me.

"Look, this is simply another way of talking. I won't be breaking your privacy, Fillia please believe me." {Astaros}

She began to calm down breathing in and out.

"So you told me in the soul sc~~ape was it? You told me this allows us to find each other and communicate at a long distance. Is there anything else that you're not telling me?" {Fillia}

She looked at me, her pupils and irises transforming as she looked at me. But there were no lies to be found here so I answered immediately.

"I have told you the truth, the entire truth. I wouldn't tell you anything less about something that directly affects you." {Astaros}

And so it was. A fox-beastman cannot be deceived and Astaros had not lied.

"You really know how to mess me up don't you. {Fillia}

I chuckled while a plate was placed in front of me. I couldn't think of what to say so I just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Do you hate it?" {Astaros}

I forked a yolk, the yellow liquid slowly flowing out like the nectar of a flower. She blushed and looked into her own cup while stirring it.

"I-it's not bad." {Fillia}

I laughed and she looked up at me.

"Y'know you become so cute when it comes to stuff like this." {Astaros}

She began to get angry and scowled at me although I could tell it was superficial.

"I wouldn't be having such problems if you would stop teasing me buckethead." {Fillia}

"And why would I do that when you offer me such great reactions my little fox?" {Astaros}

We bickered and laughed before I finished my meal and gave a thumbs up at the staring Katia who now seemed satisfied by my reaction to her cooking.

"Alright I have to go now so we can talk more later." {Astaros}

"As if I'd want to talk to you again shoo shoo go do whatever overpowered foolishness you're obviously planning." {Fillia}

I laughed and stood up, my chair getting pushed back as my knees straightened out. I looked around and saw Dryis looking at me.

"Alright I'm off so no more panic attacks till I come back okay?" {Astaros}

Fillia looked at me feigning shock.

"You're gonna tell me that after you're the small-fry who can't control his own powers?" {Fillia}

I staggered and gripped my chest. That hit hard.

"I'm sorry you're so cute that I became so attached to you my bad I'll try to be more distrustful. Also it's based on mutual trust so you had a hand in it too." {Astaros}

Fillia rolled her eyes although her red cheeks betrayed her.

"Well you were fairly reliable so trusting you came kind of easy." {Fillia}

We both fell silent as we smiled at each other.

"Lets plan our next expedition soon Fillia. Oh and NO FALLING UNCONSCIOUS THIS TIME YOU FRIGGIN FLAME THROWER I'M NOT CARRYING YOU TWICE." {Astaros}

Fillia's face contorted in superficial rage.

"Oh so it's my fault you basically left me and Val to fight 15 orc's in an enclosed space. Go to hell, ya metalhead." {Fillia}

We laughed and I turned around and waved leaving her behind at the table. The dere was good and entertaining but the sarcastic insult slinging Fillia had it's on charm.

I walked up to the front desk and passed by Dryis.

"We'll start tomorrow so be prepared for that. I need to work on something before then so I'm off." {Astaros}

I walked away not giving a chance for response or rejection. I opened the door and concealed myself leaving the lamp lit main floor and walked into the bright morning sun, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the blazing bane of sight.

I cloaked and passed through the empty streets before reaching the barely populated main road. I was going to follow the river out of the city. I jumped down into the cold clear waters as my dark field kept the water out and from entering my visor and drowning me.

I began to trudge across the riverbed as the current attempted to whip me up and throw me around. The muddy silt seemed to collect around my feet and stick me to the floor like an insect trap. It also didn't help I was using the earth element to pull up ore rich stones and wind element to pull air down to me in bubbles.

And so this continued till I hit the raised and barred entrance to the city. I pushed the stones through the bars and then jumped over the wall from the river bed. Later the guards would wonder what sort of wet creature crawled over the side.

He landed and returned to the river dragging along more and more river stones. It appeared no one had checked the mineral rich silt for metal. As for the reason why? It was likely that they simply never thought to check.

After he reached the forest he crawled onto the bank and sat on a large flat stone before sitting cross legged and activating mana sense to begin the process of grinding stones and melting metal. However there was something odd nearby. Something with a familiar odd mana signature.

"Katia why are you following me and how did you find me after I went into the river." {Astaros}

Out from behind a tree the tall muscled white haired woman walked out, her dark skin seemed to be glistening and she seemed to be wet.

"You seriously swam?" {Astaros}

"I'm surprised you knew I was there. I expected to have gone unnoticed." {Katia}

I sighed. although I enjoyed talking to her Katia was occasionally difficult to handle.

"Answer the question before praising my deductive abilities." {Astaros}

She tilted her head and then answered as though what she was doing was the most natural thing in the world.

"You looked like you were going to do something interesting so I followed you." {Katia}

I looked at her before deciding it was not worth it. I was wasting time and mana so I began grinding the stones. And firing up the jet flame.

"You can't tell anyone what you see here okay?" {Astaros}

"Okay" {Katia}

I didn't know if she was trustworthy but she felt fairly unthreatening so I didn't care. Instead I focused on the metal refinement. I was burning away the impurities and stone leaving only raw metal. It's the same material as my armor so I had no trouble manipulating it. I closed my eyes and the minutes passed as I relied on my mana sense to form the lump of metal.

…

Six hours later and I was done, the sun was now high in the sky and I was sweating buckets from the heat of both it and the refinement process. I promptly dropped it into the river to cool, causing a blast of steam. Katia, who was sitting beside me, watched the scene with interest. This metal had been better refined than the original which made up my armor and made far more pure.

I had been watching what she did as I worked through mana sense and she had done nothing but sit and watch. Now that I had finished she looked at me with curiosity.

"What did you do?." {Katia}

I looked over at her while breathing heavily.

"I was making metal to forge a weapon but I may have taken up too much." {Astaros}

I breathed in and turned back lifting the lump out of the water again.

"Hey Katia do you want a weapon?" {Astaros}

I looked over at the large white haired beast-woman.

She put a finger to her chin while stretching out her legs and splashing her feet in the now warm water. She looked like a child trying to think of a good toy request for Christmas. She then turned off her necklace. Black stripes appeared in her beautiful snow white hair. A long tail seem to fold out from the base of her spine just above her plump bottom. Finally two small tiger ears popped out on the top of her head.

"I'm a snow tiger beast-man so a maul or war hammer seems appropriate."

I looked at her incredulously.

"You have no qualms about showing me that?" {Astaros}

She shrugged.

"You already know we're beast men right? So why worry, instead can you make the hammer?" {Katia}

I simply turned my head back to the large lump of metal which was now a glistening silver from the dunk in the river.

"Sure but first I need to make mine." {Astaros}

I put out my hand and began firing the jet of flame again, the tips lapping against the metal surface as I closed my eyes. I spun the lump, heating it equally and slowly turning it into a molten ball.

After about an hour a large black and orange ball hovered above the river, slowly dripping small droplets of metal which hissed as they hit the cool river.

I began to separate the char and ash, lumping them together and then dropping it in the nearby bushes after it cooled.

When it was a pure burning orange I split it in half and began shaping one while maintaining the other. I was going to make a great-sword. The weapon though large was fairly effective and with my combat style that relied on brutal damage dealt efficiently a great-sword was a good choice.

As it shaped I imbued wind, light and fire element. It was an excruciatingly painstaking process but he had no issues concentrating.

When I reopened my eyes an hour later they landed on a large blade around my height and around as wide as my torso. The core of the blade was black while the actual edges were silver. The hilt was a simple metal bar with a ring on the end. Down the black flat of the blade several Japanese characters glowed red while a red line seemed to trace the shape of the flat of the blade. "Die as weak as you began" was what was written. Astaros had imbued the light element for this effect and nothing more.

After all, a cool sword was a man's dream. He had used his other imbuements for utility however, with the flames allowing the silver edges to heat up till red and cut better while the wind element would allow a flaming blade to extend from the sword increasing it's range.

Though I had thought of making it a konda blade but I decided against it as I would lose the ability to thrust.

This process had tired me out but I still wasn't done. I wouldn't be able to imbue her weapon in this state. Then I had an idea which would be quite interesting if I could apply it later. As far as I knew I was the only one able to manipulate mana that is not my own. If I could manipulate Katia's element I might be able to imbue the weapon and further increase it's affinity with her.

I lowered the blade down in front of the circular platter like stone I sat upon and turned to Katia who had been watching the creation process in a form of emotionless awe.

"That was an extremely impressive process with an amazing result. How did you come up with it?" {Katia}

I looked at her and sighed.

"I used this process in the creation of my armor. Now that we've answered that question let's move on. I need your help to imbue your weapon. Please focus your mana into the metal as it takes form." {Astaros}

Katia tilted her head and her irises contracted.

"But I cannot imbue I will simply freeze the metal." {Katia}

"Dark element?" {Astaros}

"No ice element." {Katia}

I frowned in annoyance. I didn't have any aptitude for the Ice element. This would be a suitable test of my raw mana control.

"Don't worry if it doesn't work I'll just make it at a later date."

"Now do what I tell you."

I began to shape the hammer from the second ball of molten metal.

"Now!" {Astaros}

Katia outstretched her hands and began shooting out a frosty mist which glistened like a storm of diamonds. I began to close myself off from everything but my mana as I attempted to reach the raw mana within the frost element. It was hard to do and once I had a grasp on it, it was still difficult to wield. Imbuement now required three times the concentration and skill. I had already been pushing it with the great-sword so this was actually painful to do as my mind attempted to keep the visualization of the hammer while I attempted to control the imbuement and force the metal to become a conduit for the frost element. It would be a herculean task to do anything more. What I was doing was already my limit.

When I opened my eyes four hours later the sky was becoming orange. It was now evening and Katia was on all fours gasping for breath. She then vomited on the ground before crawling to the river to clean her face, her tail dragging across the ground like a chain of lead. She had emptied her own mana and only through me flowing my own mana into her was she still even conscious.

When she finished cleaning her face she looked back at me and the poker face had returned though she smiled when she saw the fruits of our labor.

A massive war hammer that was shoulder height sat before her. The handle was a long black rod with a silver pointed geometric pommel on the end. The hammer itself was an octagon with two vertical sides that leaned in towards the base. On each large flat side was a large metal plate. The two sides being right trapezoid's their bases pointed towards the top flat surface. The top plate was a non rounded heater that pointed towards the rear. The mass of the hammer was silver but the plating was abyssal black as I had used some of the little mana I had to add some of my own dark element.

When Katia picked it up the head of the hammer instantly froze creating a large crystal around the head turning it into a giant mace. Her eyes seemed to glimmer as the ice then disappeared.

She looked at me with a beautiful smile on her face in the evening light.

"It's perfect." {Katia}

I tried to stand and walk over but my legs tripped and I slammed into the river stone bank.

"Heh" {Katia}

I glared at her and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Help me up you idiot or you'll never see the thing again." {Astaros}

Instantly her poker face came back and she ran up to me wrapping my arm around her neck and allowing me to lean on her. I used my sword as a support as I stood. I then began to lumber towards the city with barely any form of strength left in me.

I then began to think of other things I could make as we walked towards the gates.

'Perhaps I could make a witches hat for Christine and complete her look.' {Astaros}

I had various creation and imbuement related thoughts as though I had the power to do so while I limped back home.

...

The guards received quite the shock as a fully exhausted Astaros limped back to the city being supported by a tall muscular dark skinned woman. They both had nearly exhausted their own mana reserves and so limping through the town to the Hollow was their only option. The sun began to set on the city as it became late, guards lighting the street lamps with their fire element and children making their way home with their parents. Many people tried to talk to me but I was in position to respond so I simply weakly waved instead. We received a lot of onlookers as we passed through the streets. I had stored the blade (which I had named shattered star for it's silver and black appearance) in my damage core and Katia had placed her hammer in an open ended scabbard on her back.

Though I had told her to name it she said she would do so when she had actually used it properly, a conclusion I accepted.

We walked through the doors of the Hollow.

Fillia looked at me an laughed her guts out before as Katia dropped me off in a nearby seat and went to the back while Dryis sat and wondered when Katia had even left.

Fillia kept laughing till I used my soul link to share my pain and she instantly choked on her own spit and started coughing.

The low candle light reflected off my silver face plate as I leaned back in the chair looked towards Fillia..

"Heh" {Astaros}

Fillia shot me a glare that was not friendly in the least before Dryis came over. She sat down and watched me with a confused look before asking me:

"What were you and Katia doing outside alone for so long." {Dryis}

Fillia finally stopped coughing before a mental message was sent.

'You didn't link with her too did you?' {Fillia}

I sighed and shook my head before I looked at Dryis. I was finally beginning to regain my strength. As I began to speak Katia came and sat down with two plates of beef and potatoes pushing one over to me.

"We made weapons and he made me an epic hammer." {Katia}

Dryis looked at Katia with surprise. Although she wasn't unfriendly Katia didn't really socialize so her sitting down with them was odd. The wooden round table soon began to run out of space as Fillia came and sat down as well.

"What do you mean he made weapons? Were you guys at the local forge? I didn't know you could forge Astaros." {Dryis}

Katia stopped chewing for a moment and looked over at Dryis with lazy eyes.

"Nope we went down to the river and he made this with me." {Katia}

She grabbed the hammer which she had leaned against the table and lifted in the air. Both Fillia and Dryis stared at the weapon both appreciating the design and craftsmanship put into the item.

"Wait if you were at the river how did you make it then?" {Fillia}

I was busy tearing into the roast beef so Katia responded again in her usual monotone voice.

"In the same way he made his armor." {Katia}

"Wow really that's amazing IF ONLY I KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT." {Fillia}

I finished chewing before taking a swig of water and speaking.

"I turned river stones to metal and then shaped it with mana while imbuing them although Katia's had a different process."

I then resumed ripping into the food. Fillia and Dryis looked at each other while Dryis sighed and Fillia seemed to give up. Although this was an amazing feat the lack of explanation and excitement made it tedious.

"So what did you make?" {Fillia}

I finished forking and shoveling the last piece of potato before wiping my mouth and putting back down my face plate.

"You'll see it tomorrow when we go for our next extermination request." {Astaros}

I got up and looked to Fillia to see she was frowning.

"You know you're frustrated face is cute." {Astaros}

She began blushing and looked up at me and got up and left

"L-leave me alone you big oaf." {Fillia}

She then ran upstairs while Katia spoke.

"You tease her too much." {Katia}

I looked at the pan-faced woman with slight curiosity in my eyes.

"Y'know without the shadows on your face I can tell what you're thinking and no I apparently don't have good responses so it's worthless." {Katia}

"WHO SAID THAT!!" {Astaros}

I feigned outrage as I was about to start but Dryis got up and left.

"Excuse me but I need to go I have paperwork to do"

Katia finished her meal before sitting back and looking at the leaving Dryis.

"You don't look like you do."

She faltered for a second but it was just enough that we saw it.

I looked at Katia who shrugged and left to head back to the kitchen.

I then went back upstairs to go and rest before tomorrow.

…

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POV: 3rd person

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32 men knelt before a small throne in a large spacious room with no windows. The light of the candles that lit the room danced across the walls creating the impression the walls were encroaching and retreating upon its prey.

This was a predator's den. No doubt about it. And this predator was enraged. He tapped his finger on his golden throne and looked at the men before yelling his frustrations at them.

"I WANT YOU USELESS IDIOTS TO BRING ME BACK THAT FOOLISH WOMAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!" {Unknown}

The men strained as their eardrums nearly busted from the sudden outburst. The leader of the group bowed his head further before speaking.

"We will not fail you. SIR." {Unknown 2}

The group stood up and left the man to stew in his anger. This man was the first prince of Thacion and known as the Lustful Watchman. He is Kamatra Thorn the son of Vanthus Thorn who was the lord of Thacion.

Kamatra attempted to bed one of Vanthus's wives but Vanthus caught him and banished his son to the edges of Thaconian territory to watch the movements of the vampires and the witches.

He was a violent man who enjoyed receiving the leftover wives from treaties and pacts and using them this way and that. Thus he was named the Lustful watchman. After a pact was made with the elves his father sent him the 6th princess of the Elves after his successful defense of the south eastern territory they held.

However in a rebellion led by the captain of the royal guard Katia Talor she escaped alongside the traitor.

Kamatra gritted his teeth. He would capture her and bring her back no matter what.

Bab 20: Warpath

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Bab 20: Warpath

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