-Callia-

  Shortly after the match began, I split off from Callen and the others. I trusted their ability to secure a point, and the hunt is my dream. I climb into the trees and begin working my way from branch to branch. I immediately focus in and follow my instincts, guiding me to my first targets. Nixie can be trusted to hold back any kind of approach, and Callen has had plenty of practice surviving arrows, so my concerns are limited to the runic flamethrower and the person who looked suspiciously like a mage.

  Deciding on the flamethrower first, I immediately dial in on my target and follow my instincts guiding me to him. I could rush and get there quickly; however, I don’t want to be exhausted. I’m up against people who likely have twice my stamina, so instead I use my perception of him to track his movement and get a sense for where he is heading. They seem to be gradually making the journey toward the center of the forest, where they would have to fight my team.

  I perch myself high up right under one of the spectator platforms to disguise my sound. I wrap a camouflage coat around myself and blend into the tree. My prey makes quick progress through the forest, and it isn’t long until I’m both above and behind them. As an experienced convoy team, their sense for danger will be sharp, so I need to approach with care not to alert them.

  It's clear spotting danger is the role of the twins, one for left and the other for right, with a shared field covering the path ahead. The soldier occasionally checks behind but is mainly focused on the merchant, who is happily smoking and talking boisterously with the man at the front who is carrying the flamethrower. I trail along from above and behind, right in their blind spot.

  I activate my bow, splitting my focus, enabling me to fully focus on shooting while also being able to pay attention elsewhere. When I’m close, I don't hesitate at all to loose a full salvo of arrows, splitting my attacks between Mr. Flamer and the merchant. The first arrows at the merchant and Mr. Flamer are runic arrows that Callen designed to release an electric voltage. Untested, but we are hoping it will function like a taser.

  The merchant was startled as the soldier threw himself between the merchant and the arrow, and Mr. Flamer didn’t even realize he was in danger. Both struck Mr. Flamer, who started spasming and flopped to the ground, but the soldier successfully intercepted the arrow. The twins both broke for cover while the soldier tried to weather the onslaught I launched at him. I only maintain my attack briefly before breaking away, using my acrobatics and movement skills to get me distance for cover.

  I hear Mr. Flamer being pulled out for treatment before I pull out my cloak and blend back in with the environment. I wheeze heavily as I try to recover from the burst of aggression. Not far away I hear the rustling of a bush and force myself to hold my breath. The twins move up my tree, looking around to spot me. I can quietly hear them arguing.

  “The bitch can’t just disappear. What do you mean the trail stops here?!”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Dammit, it’s a ruse. Pierce is alone! We need to get Mr. Jono away from conflict; we're a man down anyway. Let's give the others a chance to shave off some members first. We'll shelter in that cave we passed earlier.”

  With that, the twins doubled back. I gasped for breath the moment I couldn’t hear them anymore.

  “One threat clear, time to test the other.”

  Adjusting my target to the ‘mage’ and evaluating their path, it seemed they were going after the fisherman’s team. Two birds and one stone. I intended to clear out any ranged combatants since they could at least threaten Callen. I set off at a much easier pace than before. It seemed ambushes were going to be my bread and butter. I shot nearly a dozen arrows at the merchant, forcing the soldier to intercept, and all I got out of it was a calf injury.

  Eventually I catch up with their team as the mage throws a wave of fire, injuring the merchant, and guards drop down, removing the losing team. I watched the team begin to reconvene and found my chance to strike as they lowered their guard. After all, if an outsider intended to interfere, it would have made more sense to do so while they were fighting. This time I took to the ground. I'll be going for a sprint-by attack and try to use my bow as covering fire to force them into cover while I try to snatch a hit on the merchant.

  I break cover in a flurry of arrows, dropping to a dead sprint. The mage doesn’t react in time, taking an arrow to the shoulder and dropping to the ground crying in pain, but the swordsman and archer both dive for cover, and the axeman intercepts, standing as the only obstacle between me and the merchant.

  No time for hesitation; the others will be fighting back in mere moments. I burst out with nothing but speed, even tossing aside my bow. Flash movement activates, and with an Empowered Motion, I slash the merchant before the archer pegs me with an arrow. The force behind the arrow shoots cleanly through me and bounces me off a tree. However, the soldiers drop down and declare the team eliminated. The team and I are pulled up to the spectator posts for treatment.

  It’s a bit sad I didn’t push through the whole match, but I suppose all that's left is to wait for my brother and sisters to finish pulling in the win.

  Behind Closed Doors

  Grandmaster Slate led the way into Master Yoren’s workshop. They had just returned after having browsed the craftsmen across the town. Slate was eerily quiet, which was a sharp contrast from the joviality he had presented to Callen. His expression is sharp and coated in displeasure as he snaps around back onto Yoren.

  “I thought I expressed just how important the council considers that boy.”

  Yoren stammered in response, not entirely understanding what had upset his master.

  “Letting the boy’s interests guide him was a perfectly fine choice, but only if that remains within the bounds of rune mastery!”

  Slate lifted Yoren with ease and slammed him against the wall with enough force to make the stone tremble. Yoren gasped in shock as the world spun from the impact, but Slate was careful to slam him hard enough to leave him stunned but generally uninjured.

  “Why have you let a talented researcher waste away on work that will never be reproducible? Mastery of Runes and Enchantment is the peak of potential for humans and something Earthkin only masters with special guidance from a Grandmaster!”

  As Slate continues his rant, his grip gradually gets tighter and his expression more wrathful. In his hate, spittle flies from his mouth as he continues.

  “You better pray that this distraction doesn’t impede his exploration of Runes! Runes are the future of all people. Enchantments are merely a crutch for the unworthy!”

  Slate seems to get some control of himself and forcefully turns away. Releasing his grip, he lets Yoren slide down the wall. He walks to the door of the residence and calls back ominously.

  “I will do all I can to set this child back onto the right path; however, I expect his ‘master’ to bring him back onto our path, and I expect him to be ready and willing to travel to the clan within three years. If you fail, I’ll have no choice but to have you pay an appropriate price for ruining a genius the likes of which we wait millennia seeking out.”

  The door slams shut, and Yoren leans forward, groaning. It had been such a long time he had nearly forgotten just how bad treatment could get within the clans. Quietly he lost himself in thought and wondered just what he should do from here.