Inflame (The Completionist Chronicles Book 6), Dakota Krout [free novels to read TXT] 📗

Mend (Journeyman II)

Lay on Hands (Journeyman II).

Neutrality Aura (Student VIII).

Retaliation of Shadows (Journeyman III).

Exquisite Shell (Student V).

Dark Lightning Strike (Apprentice VIII).

Mana Manipulation (Student VIII). It looks like you found an effective training program!

Coalescence (Student IX). Finally flushed out all that stagnant mana! Bet you feel better, don’t you?

Battle Meditation (Novice VIII)

Assisted Ritual Orb Usage (Beginner I)

Knowledge (Beginner VI)

Architectural Lore (Beginner III)

“Stagnant mana? I really need to figure out what that means.” Joe stared at the messages and once more swore to himself that he wouldn’t be taking on any more quests after this war. At least, not until he had gotten sick of gaining all the skills and stats he could grab. His gathered aspect list was equally impressive; he had been able to make and partially fill both a Unique and Rare Aspect Jar, but a sound tore his attention away before he could open the itemized inventory and cackle over the hundreds of thousands of collected aspects.

Boots. Metal boots that were marching in time.

The sound was distant, but that just meant that there were so many that the rhythm was resounding even here. That could only mean one thing: the battle was starting, and he, the person who had sparked the war and was responsible for its success, was late.

“Does overmorrow mean three days or two days? I thought I had three!” He hopped to his feet and fought through the fatigue, sprinting along the roads until he caught sight of the flowing river of silver that was the Legion on the move.

Message available! Send a message to friends list contact? Yes / No.

“What?” By the time Joe recognized the notification, it was already cancelled.

Friend list member out of Line of Sight!

“Who was that, then?” Joe shook off his confusion and ran for a series of Legionnaires that had a black trim on their armor: the sign of an Officer. Getting closer drew unwanted attention to him, and a few soldiers even drew steel and pointed it at him. “Candidate Joe reporting! I’m looking for Major General Havoc!”

The various weaponry was pulled back, and one Dwarf grimaced as she replied to him, “The Major General is part of the advance force. That… fine example of what not to do to make political friends… will either be right at the front, or already digging into Gramma’s Shoe by the time the remainder of the Legion approaches. Please use caution, Candidate Bro.”

“Thanks, Officer Dudette.” Joe slammed an open palm on her paulron and turned to run. He needed to get ahead of all the marching soldiers if he was going to get a Ritual of Argus active on the person that was likely the most important figure that had joined the war effort. In his haste, he didn’t catch the pink tinge that colored the cheeks under the flowing auburn mustache of the Dwarf he was taking with.

“I can’t believe Joe knew my name!” Dudette breathed in a deep, gravelly whisper. “If we win this… I can’t imagine he’d be any less famous than Havoc himself!”

The human had no idea the effect that he was having on the Dwarves around him. If he had… he would have been utterly uncomfortable. The bearded Dwarves looked on in admiration and slight jealousy: they wanted to be the ones to incite a full-on assault! The mustachioed ones looked at Joe with gazes wavering between interest and self-doubt. Joe was hairless. Though he might soon have a reputation worthy of capturing the attention of the Oligarchy, he was a human, hairless as a child, and a mage. For most of them, those factors snuffed the ember of interest that formed when he was mentioned… but only for most.

Running at top speed was the only way Joe could slowly make his way past the miles-spanning troop formation. No one laughed as he panted along; no one commented that he was out of position. There was only one thing on the minds of the Legion: the Elves had invaded their home. Their monument to what was once the matriarch of all the Dwarven Clans. Even now, a day away at marching speed, they could see the plumes of black ash that rose from the volcano; the benefit of a flat plane of existence.

Half the day later, Joe was starting to flag. He saw one Legionnaire with a bright red mustache that he had been leapfrogging for almost ten minutes. Joe would see her passing him, put in more effort and get ahead, but then she would slowly and inexorably catch up to him and march forward. Joe had been giving her so much side-eye that she was starting to look at him with a nervous expression whenever she got ahead. Finally, Joe thought of a solution to his current problem. “Mate! I need a jolt, Over-caffeinate!”

The small elemental bubbled onto his white robe and gave him a searching glance. Joe blushed lightly, “No, I haven’t made a special cup yet, but the next time I’m forging in a safe area, I will! Promise.”

Mate bubbled happily and extended tendrils of pure caffeine out of its body, appearing to become a delicious version of a sea urchin. The iridescent tendrils swooped around and dug into Joe, and a moment later he shot forward at a speed he hadn’t gotten close to all day. For the next ten minutes, he sprinted past the marching formation, laughing wildly the whole way.

Then he remembered why the ability was mainly used in a pinch, and not as a travel booster. When the buff expired, his stats were temporarily reduced by thirty percent, and continuing to run made him want to puke. That nasty side effect didn’t last too long, thanks to Neutrality Aura, but it was still a pain. Joe was hoping that the Legion would bunker down and sleep soon, but as the day wore on and darkness settled over the plain, they showed no signs of stopping or slowing down.

The final straw was when the red-haired Dwarf caught