Chapter 7

  It Ends In A Draw

  You ever have one of those plans that works too well?

  A plan so perfect, you can cut down a legion of basically benign spirits. Or spirits that are considered basically benign to you? Well that was me.

  I assumed the reason why I now had a gallery of Bloom family members watching was that I was the only one who could see or even interact with the spirits. By now, not just Madame Bloom, but her one of the coachmen, and even Ms. Bloom my new mother, in name and propriety only, had gathered. The second coachmen was likely guarding the coach, at least I hoped that was the case, otherwise we would likely have a long way to walk back to wherever the Bloom estate was. An act that would be considerably degrading to me, as I was nearly at my end.

  Fwt-fwt-fwt.

  I duck, seeing as the horde of monstrous spirits has thinned out considerably, keeping an eye on the Pine spitting spirit is rather easy. Even if it is getting to be excessively tiring.

  A glance to my left shows that everyone is just watching. Madame Bloom who had a look of shock and concern before, now has a more evaluative gleam in her eye as she proceeds to watch me swing wildly. The other two just looked confused at first, before turning to look at Madame Bloom.

  I guess for those without spirit sight, I would just look like a crazed bleeding kid wildly swinging about a bent stick of rebar in a former national park turned to a garbage dumping site that was perfect for evil spirits to breed and congregate in. Honestly, for the first time in a while I felt rather homesick, missing my trips to DC as a kid. I almost wonder why, when the clearly evolved pine-needle spitting spirit reminds me of why I would almost rather be anywhere else than here.

  Fwt-fwt-fwt.

  Duck again, but I still feel a few Mana infused needles clip my hair, showing just how close they were to hitting me in the neck. It’s getting closer, either due to it becoming more accurate in predicting how I will dodge, or that I am getting tired. Likely both.

  There is one good thing about this battle going on for so long, I did get a new Skill. One that was both lacking, and extremely relevant to the moment.

  I had wanted a cooler Skill, like maybe one dealing with Swords, or Kendo, but given that I had spent the last few hours swinging around an oxidized bent bar of rebar as my only weapon, I couldn’t really refute the Skill option that came up. Given that I still had three free Skill slots, despite just taking my Epic level Mana Extraction Skill, I felt using a spot on a somewhat easier to max out uncommon ranked Skill might not be the worst case. Worse came to worse, I was close to maxing out my Music Theory Skill, which could provide the space I needed.

  I was apparently in the early stages where I got a lot quick success by just moving, or in this case swinging about my infused rebar weapon, and then switching back to a balanced stance quickly. Kind of wish I had this from the very beginning, but sadly that was not the case.

  Slash-pop.

  With that, the last of the cannon fodder spirits are gone. Which means I have nothing protecting me from the Pine in the ass spirit, literally. But it also means that this Pine spirit can no longer level up. Well, unless it kills me, or the other Bloom family members. Hopefully that won’t happen, but I don’t quite know. So far, the Blooms have the same hands-off approach as the DiVoratore did. Maybe it is a quality that all powerful bloodlines of this world have. That feeling that life is a struggle, and that the only way to ensure survival is to be absolutely ruthless in your training. That, or maybe they got a huge refund if I managed to somehow die within the first day of the transaction, some type of void on the contract.

  Fortunately, as they say this isn’t my first rodeo. More importantly, this is not my first time squaring off against pine spitters.

  I pause, holding completely still.

  One breath.

  Two breaths.

  Then not even looking I move, and just in time.

  Fwt-fwt-fwt.

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

  A barrage of needles fly out, piercing the air where I had just been standing. Though the ground is slippery as I end up sliding. My feet whipping around wildly as I fall to the ground. Don’t worry, it is all part of the plan, as I purposefully fall right next to a roughly palm sized rock.

  Again, I mentally begin the countdown, “one, two, three…”

  I am up and moving by the time I get to five.

  By the time I get to seven, I hear the all too familiar sound of venom infused spirit needles flying through the air. There was a delay, that was an almost eight count, showing that the spirit too is getting tired. Probably been a while since it was allowed to level up from killing its brethren.

  As for me, I have just enough Mana to pull off my next trick.

  Working quickly, I immediately begin running towards the pine spitter, and on four, I throw my Spirit Devour infused stick of rebar at the creature.

  A strike that would have likely been able to get the beast at the very start of this conflict was now swiftly avoided by the overpowered monster. This would have been enough to almost do me in, when I first encountered them. However, one does not get to be my age in the DiVoratore family by being unobservant. For even in their dodges, the pine spitters are predictable, they jump straight up, the plop straight down, where they immediately spit an amplified burst towards their enemy.

  However, knowing their pattern, I am already ahead and ready. Taking the rock that I grabbed when I fell to the ground, and hurling its now Spirit Devour infused form right at the vertically rising spirit. There is a moment, where the pine spirit almost seems aware enough to looked shocked. A look that lasted only a moment, until the rock hurdled forward and impaled itself directly into the round cranial section of the pine spirit that was attached mostly to its upper torso.

  PLOP!

  There is an explosion in mid-air, the way one might expect when a rising balloon is hit by a quickly flying dart. I watch, as the burst outline of the spine spirit falls to the ground, and begins dissolving almost immediately.

  For a moment I wonder if it is over, even a wave of new Skill possibilities flood in.

  The throwing was obvious, as I got it from the final attack that ended this whole mess. Actor took me a moment to try to understand, I guess I earned it from my impressive diving Skills?

  I dismiss both, not that they wouldn’t be nice to work on, but Madame Bloom had already promised me two Epic rarity level Mana Skills. Of course, no sooner do I have this thought, then the system gives me an ultimate choice.

  Seeing the asterisk let me know that it was what was referred to as a wild Skill. Wild Skills are Skills that can only be learned from combat, often near rifts, where the fluctuations of Mana are most wild.

  Speaking of, I still had to deal with that tier two rift.

  I turn, trying to face the portal. Only to see the world spinning wildly about before me. My head is now reeling and my body is beyond exhausted from having pushed myself so far in this cleansing.

  Dizzy.

  The world is spinning and I can only feel myself falling to the ground.

  Grasp.

  But I am saved by a pair of warm hands that feel good against my cold sweat soaked skin.

  “Don’t worry about the rift, we have other days and resources that we can now use to close it,” Madame Bloom’s words call out from next to me.

  Chills.

  She is so close that her words, vibrate the sweat on my neck, causing me to shiver slightly.

  “You can relax, but you definitely need to accept that Wild Skill before you regret it forever,” Madame Bloom stated, her words grabbing my consciousness and forcing me to stay awake for at least this moment.

  Gentle warmth.

  I also feel a slow warmth gradually flowing through me, only after a second do I realize it is from where Madame Bloom is touching me. My mind instantly registers the sensation as a Healing Skill. Likely a high level Healing Skill given how quickly it seems to be taking effect and all but forcing my body to heal up, and push out any remaining spirit quills that are still impaled within my skin.

  “But your deal?” I press, realizing that if I take one more Skill then Madame Bloom will not be able to take up her part of our agreement. An agreement that was accepted by the system. Meaning I wouldn’t have to do… this…

  “You foolish girl, you can free up another Skill slot later, but for now take the Wild Skill before it is gone forever.”

  I nod.

  Then I accept it, my fourth of five total free Skills I can take.

  I pause, staring at the screen like it owed me money.

  “Something wrong?” Madame Bloom asks, a note of mirth almost in her voice.

  “Yeah, it says it unlocked a random Attribute, but I don’t see that Attribute anywhere?” I respond.

  “Well, are you looking at your profile?” She asks, with a somewhat knowing smirk.

  Hearing her comment I realize just how exhausted I truly am from this entire ordeal, and how my mind is clearly not capable of keeping up with common logic.

  “Oh yeah…” I state, and then pull open my Status screen to see the changes.

  There was everything, but I was still missing something.

  “That’s your main status screen, you’ll need to go to your Stats screen…” Madame Bloom states calmly, the way one would speak to a young child who doesn’t know any better.

  Of course, those words, the warmth flowing through my system, and the fact that I feel I can finally relax now that the immediate danger is over all come crashing into me.

  Darkness.

  I feel a soothing darkness grab me, and continue to fill me with warmth.

  “Is she okay?” The concerned voice of the mother, Ms. Bloom speaks, my mind still able to distinguish her words.

  Warm laughter.

  “Yes, she just wore herself out. It seems we’ve a warrior on our hands here…” Madame Bloom’s voice responds.

  And like that, my mind finally feels at ease enough to let go, and submit to my dreams.

  My last thoughts go back to the fact that I will still need to come back and finish off the rift later on, knowing that “it ends in a draw, for now.”

  More warm chuckles.