Cursed Explorer of the Arcana

“C’mon kid, just fight the boar and show me some of those flashy moves.” Wyat eggs me on from the branch he’s lying on.

I’m tempted to just ignore the boar and blast everything I have at the arrogant elf because… because I’m petty, that’s why. Yeah, just fight the boar that could probably eat me in one sitting or crush my bones on accident, brilliant suggestion.

After headbutting the tree Bennett sits on a few times the boar changes targets and since pigs are literally unable to look upwards the only one left in sight is me. After pawing at the ground, or hoofing since it doesn’t really have paws, the boar throws its hefty weight towards me to dish out pain for the injustice it suffered.

I don’t know what they expect me to do but my first instinct is to start running like when the stray dogs chased us a year ago. A few ideas run through my mind on how to fight back, except every time I glance backward and see those tiny aggressive eyes closing in my confidence just vanishes into thin air.

Just as the squealing gets really loud behind me something grabs my blouse and drags me to the side, just in time for the boar to catch up and rumble past me.

“You can’t outrun it and as we said, you’re totally safe so just try whatever comes to mind. Be creative!” Wyat huffs as he pulls his hand back through a portal lazying on the same branch as before.

Damn, those portals are insanely cool and just as useful. I resist the urge to spit through the small hole in reality right into his face and focus on the boar moving back towards me in an arc with the turn rate of an old commercial barge. Like basically any creature the eyes and just the head in general look like a spot where attacks are more likely to have an effect and… hurt it.

Argh, I can’t worry about things like that, the stupid beast is trying to kill me and being considerate about its feelings is really not something I can afford right now. Mom would just do it, and Dad has been doing this every day for decades… This is the way things are Eli, eat or be eaten!

I know fire would be a pretty solid choice to keep torching the boar until it breathes no more but… that sounds cruel as hell. I understand I need to hurt the beast, just don’t want to torture it in the process. Let’s not even mention the squeals and the smell…

Ice. It worked against the rabbit, against the pyroblade something dude who fought against Wyat and it’s Mom’s prime choice when she doesn’t have her spear at hand. My active Skills have been neglected a little so this is also a perfect time to put Mana Bolt to work.

Activate Skill, morph arcane to water, freeze it, and launch. I know active Skills like this one are just meant to be used in the most simple and straightforward way however arcane is far from… well, solid, destructive, hard-hitting, resistant and so on. It has little use on its own so I have to complicate things for a greater effect.

With that said the first shard of ice simply bounces off the thick hide leaving only a tiny scratch so I substitute quality with quantity and keep spamming the attack in hopes of landing a lethal hit.

Life teaches me another important lesson; my aim is shit. The target is moving yes, and I’m basically hurling icicles at a pair of bean-sized eyes but I still can’t believe none of the fifteen shots landed even close. Most of them missed the boar completely!

“Don’t try to tickle the damn hairy pig, you need to penetrate the hide, hit it hard enough to break the bones, or try more drastic types of magic.” The ever-irritating elf shouts from the branch without even following my performance with his eyes.

“Easier said than done.” I mutter before realizing he could do everything he listed pretty easily.

Okay, I do have an idea but that’s not because of his worthless advice or any kind of enlightening like that, it’s just a simple fun trick we did back when we were little. How do you hit a nail into a plank of wood without a hammer or good rock? You place the nail on the ground with its tip pointing up and slam the plank onto it. Is this what thinking outside the box means?

Anyway, the plank doesn’t need to be introdu-

“Whoa!” I cry out as the familiar tug out of nowhere saves my ass again.

“A little thinking is fine but don’t get distracted the boar can do much more than running headfirst at you.”

I don’t acknowledge a word, I heard nothing, it must’ve been the wind.

I really did get surprised when the beast just stopped in my face and instead of ramming started using that ugly mouth to take a bite. Never knew boars would do that…

With a plan cooked up and basically no danger in case things go south I start running again, this time with a huge grin on my face instead of worry. Four legs do carry the boar faster than my two short ones so it catches up relatively fast and misses me again as I dive out of the way with perfect, really, impeccable timing.

As it begins the turning maneuver I prepare the nail. I start compressing earth mana at my feet, trying to turn it into stone. As I can’t really change the composition of matter, or not yet at least, I add some groundwater and freeze the compressed dirt to make it even harder.

This is when I remember my new Skill, Investigate Anomaly. I reach out for it to maybe get a better grasp of what I’m actually doing and… well, it’s weird. I can sort of feel the mana I’m moving like how I wiggle my toes, like a seventh or eighth sense telling me how things look and how they move. It’s vague but it’s something. Until now I could only imagine what I wanted and hope for the best result however with this I can see how badly constructed my spike is.

It’s all just squished together as densely as possible without any structure or cohesion. I don’t have much time to correct my mistakes and still, I like to do things properly, to the best of my abilities. Slow and steady, there’s no room for mistakes.

Face-to-face with the absolute unit of a beast charging at me my confidence starts to dwindle but just as it enters my mana control radius I raise the earthen spike I’ve been making in front of me.

That’s when the all-too-familiar feeling of someone grabbing my blouse and throwing me aside happens for the third time just as my victory is seconds away. Even while landing on the ground I hear the disgusting sound of flesh being torn and blood spraying everywhere along with something shattering. My spike couldn’t bear the weight.

The boar still collapses with the tip of my nail sticking out of its chest, blood pooling below its body.

“Solid plan, I expected you to either woman up and use fire or just give up like a chicken. Guess you really are an elf after all.” Wyat stands above me with a satisfied grin.

I push myself up and hold out a hand. “Knife!”

My demand is promptly fulfilled and I approach the boar still breathing and squealing on the ground probably in more pain than I can imagine. I would’ve lost, should’ve lost at least two times, or in the best case just got injured. It’s not because the enemy was stronger or smarter. My Skills are weak and because I have no experience I can’t tell what to expect in certain situations, like the boar attempting to bite me or its momentum breaking the spike…

This was a lesson, one pointing out my shortcomings mercilessly, and I’m not the type to repeat my mistakes.

“May Malor bring you peace.” I whisper and stab the knife through the boar’s neck.

The small prayer felt… right. This time I didn’t kill to feed myself or because I was in actual danger, this creature died so I could grow.

[You have triumphed over the enemy [Savage Boar - Earth lvl 18].]

[Your class Skill [Arcane Mastery] has reached lvl 13 ->14.]

[Your class Skill [Mana Bolt] has reached lvl 4 ->6.]

[Your class Skill [Investigate Anomaly] has reached lvl 2 ->3.]

Nice, it wasn’t just a dumb Skill after all.

[The general Skill [Running] has reached lvl 13.]

[The general Skill [Dodging] has reached lvl 14 ->15.]

[The general Skill [Reflexes] has reached lvl 13.]

[The general Skill [Quick Witted] has reached lvl 15 ->16.]

[The general Skill [Inner Peace] has reached lvl 7 ->8.]

Elyssia

Age: 9

Celestial Elf

Mana: 470/370

Free Points: 9

+66/hour

Might: 7

Intelligence: 38

Mana: 47

Speed: 11

Focus: 66(+3)

Willpower: 66

Endurance: 8

Dexterity: 10

Fortitude: 8

General Skills:

Savant lvl 15

Identify lvl 16

Running lvl 13

Dodging lvl 15

Pain Tolerance lvl 3

Reflexes lvl 13

Stamina lvl 10

Quick Witted lvl 16

Inner Peace lvl 8

I. Class: Inept Magus - Arcane lvl 18

Arcane Mastery lvl 14

Mana Bolt lvl 6

Mana Shield lvl 3

Investigate Anomaly lvl 3

II. Class: *Locked*

III. Class: *Locked*

Small steps on a long journey. I have the time.

“You know kid, you might actually be worth teaching.” Wyat says something that’s supposed to be a compliment by the basic elven standards but I hate those standards.

“Thankfully you won’t be the one doing the teaching. I’d probably try to escape in that case.” I huff and clean the splatter of blood off my face with the sleeve of my blouse.

It was originally white and quite pretty when I first got it less than a year ago, now it’s more brown and gray and reeking of sweat. I’ll probably burn it after we get to Granhall because I sure as hell won't put it on again once it’s off my body. Only if it doesn’t merge with me first.

“Satisfied?” I ask and spin toward the old man standing behind me.

I didn’t hear him move, it was all just a guess and as always being right feels really, really satisfying. No wonder Mom and Dad like arguing that much.

“I wouldn’t say that but you certainly passed the muster.” He shrugs with a half-smile. “We should do this more often.”

By the Abyss, anything but that.

***

They were true to their word, they did bring me new sparring partners along the last stretch of our trip to Granhall. A weird weasel that burrowed underground and had fur just like grass, a fox that could walk on thin air for a few steps, and a cute orange chicken that spewed fire. The fox proved a little problematic but I dealt with all of them with some of Wyat’s help here and there, not like I asked for it. This became a sort of late-night rite where I’d have to face off against an opponent after walking for a whole day and just before dinner to test the endurance of my stomach. As interesting as it was to see new creatures I really could’ve lived without the experience.

And the different beasts they dropped for me to fight weren’t even the most fascinating things we came across, the landscape was just as eye-catching. Like the forest where huge towers of earth jutted out of the ground and trees grew everywhere on the vertical rocky surfaces giving home to many flying creatures and large families of monkeys. They were cute monkeys. Then there was the opposite where thick gnarly trees of many roots held up small islands with their own wildlife and vegetation. One was big enough to have its own lake.

Every new discovery, for me at least, and all the excitement helped me forget why I was traveling the road with two weird but powerful men. I had fun even with the lack of comfort and all the dangers because I always wanted to go out there and explore this magical world. However at night, when I stare at the night sky from my bedroll memories resurface.

I wanted Mom and Dad to show me all this, to have them lying down with me out in the wilderness and stare at the three ladies above our heads along with the stars after an eventful day.

I really miss them.

“We can’t just walk up to the gate with a child even if we claim she’s an orphan.” Bennett continues the argument that has been going on for a few nights now. It’s like these two are married.

“Why not, it happens every time?” Wyat huffs while skinning a rabbit with incredible proficiency.

I don’t need to look away anymore or hold my ears, I got somewhat used to having a body taken apart right next to me after the eighth time. It’s still gross and I’d rather wait a few more years before trying my hand at touching a dead animal’s heart and guts, maybe someday when I have no other choice.

“How many families, do you think, have already disappeared all across Valeria, the shadows have been doing this for almost a year after all. Someone must’ve put the pieces together by now and I don’t want to risk having Inquisitors breathing down our neck for breaking the Basbel Convention even if the chances are slim.” Bennett explains with a tired face. It seems Wyat’s bugging is a lot more effective than mine, maybe because he’s an adult.

“So what do you propose, we let the girl walk up to the gate all alone only for the guards to pick on her or for a weirdo to drag her home?” Wyat brings up a very solid argument there, I don’t want any of those to happen.

“Go find a beast with some prime pelt, nothing too strong, it’s for the girl to use as a bribe.”

“I have a name by the way.” I grumble.

“And you?” Asks Wyat, preparing his bow without a complaint for a change.

“I’ll scout the road for merchants.” Bennett pulls his hood into his face before looking my way. “You watch the fire until we return!”

And he leaves, both of them leave.

“Are you serious?” I mutter.

I’m sitting alone by a campfire by a road in the middle of a forest. I want to reiterate; alone in the forest! These two idiots have a talent for planning that rivals even Frans. And he’s quite dumb.

“It’s fine, I’m by the road,” I reassure myself. “and beasts rarely… Did something just growl?”

As if to confirm its presence the beast growls again along with a pair of shining yellow eyes appearing in a bush right across the campfire. This can’t be a coincidence, the beast appeared too quickly so the two fuckers must’ve known it was nearby.

[Wolf lvl 14]

The beast that’s not even the size of an average dog finally reveals itself and bares its teeth at me menacingly. I slowly back away with eyes wide because…

[Wolf lvl 16]

[Wolf lvl 12]

[Wolf lvl 14]

…

Well, because there’s six of them.

This shit again? I’m tired of fighting and really hoped we could skip tonight’s battle… I’m really sick of the danger and URGH…

“Screw you, I’m done being nice!” I yell and hold out a hand.

No more considerate Elyssia.

The flames from the campfire gather in my hand before erupting and coating everything in the small clearing, including the new guests. The wolves cry and roll around on the ground as the fire eats away at their fur and flesh. I banish my feelings telling me to stop hurting into a dark corner of my mind and control the flames to keep spreading and burning bright until nothing else as much as breathes around our camping spot other than me.

“Damn, that was easy why couldn’t I- no no no, my backpack!” I quickly save my belongings sitting in the worn leather bag, not that anything too important is inside other than the watch Mom gave me. Dad’s bracelet is on my wrist and will stay there as long as I live.

I’m already on my second and last change of clothes, my second pair of boots and… yeah I have nothing else. The mystical bracelet is on my right hand and now with the watch in my pocket, it really doesn’t matter whether the bag burns or not.

The bushes and trees are a little scorched but nothing too serious no forestfire for now. Although Dad warned me countless times not to use flames deeper in the woodland, the inhabitants don’t take kindly to a stranger destroying their home. Oh and the risk of starting a forest fire, let’s not forget that.

“Oh dear Gods how fast they grow up.” Wyat holds his forehead in typical grandmotherly fashion while standing on a branch high up like he always does.

“You haven’t even left.” My jaw drops at the blatant lies these two told to my face.

“I did,” He lifts a bundle of silver fur with blood still dripping from it. “I’m just this good.”

And I’ll give you a good beating just you wait a few years.