Watcher of Fate

Elara's senses returned slowly, the hazy remnants of her dream fading as she opened her eyes. She felt the cool night air and the rough ground beneath her, bringing her back to the present. As her mind cleared, her [Awareness (Legendary)] skill flared to life, giving her an immediate, detailed understanding of her surroundings without needing to look.

She sensed more individuals in the camp than there should be. Her heart quickened as she realized something was very wrong. Glancing around with her heightened awareness, Elara noted that she was bound tightly, her hands and feet restrained. Nearby, the other guards lay unconscious on their sides, similarly bound. Their steady breathing indicated they were alive but incapacitated.

Further into the camp, familiar faces, camp members and merchants, were being bound by shadowy figures moving with swift precision. Panic gnawed at her, but she forced herself to stay calm, knowing she needed to assess the situation carefully.

A sudden scream pierced the night. "Someone resisted my mind control! They're probably waking up!" The voice was shrill and angry, filled with a mix of frustration and fear.

Despite the scream, no one who was already lying down moved, likely still under the spell of whatever had subdued them. The extra individuals in the camp, now alerted by the scream, began to move around quickly, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of the awakening individual.

Elara's mind raced. She had to act fast before they found her. She focused, using her [Awareness (Legendary)] to gather as much information as possible. She could sense the locations of everyone in the camp, feeling the tension and urgency of the intruders as they searched for her. Her skill also revealed more about the attackers, two of them stood out: a [Lvl 28 Mage] and a [Lvl 25 Spiritualist]. When she attempted to identify them, the Mage resisted almost completely, their identity shrouded from her perception, while the Spiritualist's information was partially obscured but she could still sense their dangerous capabilities.

[Lvl 20 Human Swordsman (Uncommon)]

[Lvl 13 Human Fighter (Common)]

[Lvl 15 Human Fighter (Common)]

[Lvl 16 Human Fighter (Common)]

[Lvl 11 Human Archer (Common)]

[Lvl 12 Human Archer (Common)]

[Lvl 17 Human Rogue (Common)]

[Lvl 28 Human Mage]

[Lvl 25 Human Spiritualist]

Taking a deep breath, Elara tried to steady her racing heart. She needed to find a way to free herself and alert the others without drawing immediate attention. The memory of her recent skill merge came to mind, and she focused on her [Mental Bastion (Rare)]. With her mind fortified, she knew she could resist any further attempts at mental control. The Mage and the Spiritualist's presence made her situation even more precarious, but her strengthened mental defenses gave her confidence.

Elara quickly assessed her options. It was either the Mage or the Spiritualist keeping them suppressed, and if she took one of them out, it would wake people up, giving her a better chance to survive. The Mage was the highest level and likely the most dangerous in direct confrontation, while the Spiritualist, though also formidable, was primarily a healer. Her strategy formed quickly: take out the Mage first, then the Spiritualist, and finally deal with any remaining threats, prioritizing the most dangerous ones like rogues or swordsmen.

Drawing on her considerable magical prowess, Elara began to weave her largest spell set ever. She reached deep into her core, pulling threads of pure white mana for the [Greater Illusion (Rare)] spell. The effort of weaving a half dozen illusions at once was immense, each thread demanding precise control and immense concentration. She could feel the strain in her mind, a tension that threatened to break her focus.

The white threads twisted and intertwined, forming the shapes of various people in the camp. Each figure came to life in her mind before materializing in the physical world, their appearances so realistic that they could easily fool the bandits. As the illusions snapped into place, Elara felt her mana plummet, the cost of maintaining such complex spells draining her reserves rapidly.

Mana: 780 of 1995

The illusory figures sprang to life, causing confusion and chaos among the intruders. They appeared to wake up and charge at the bandits, drawing attention away from Elara.

At the same time, she summoned her sword from her [Dimensional Link (Rare)], feeling its familiar weight in her hand. With a swift motion, she cut her bonds, her eyes already scanning for the Mage. Her next move had to be swift and precise.

Focusing intently, Elara wove midnight blue threads around herself, invoking [Shadow Step (Uncommon)]. Her form dissolved into a poof of smoke, leaving a trail that darted behind the Mage, positioning her perfectly for a surprise attack.

Skill [Multi Weaving (Rare)] level increased.

The Mage was a tall woman with sharp, angular features, her long black hair tied back in a tight braid. Her eyes glinted with an eerie intelligence, and she wore dark, flowing robes adorned with intricate patterns. As Elara appeared behind her, the Mage snapped up a shield woven of silvery threads, reacting with incredible speed.

She performed [Technique: Starlit Inscription Slashing Arc], her blade slicing through the air with a swift, precise motion even before the mages barrier appeared. The world seemed to slow to a standstill as she analyzed the shield before her. The silvery threads shimmered, forming a complex web of protection. Her keen eyes quickly identified the key knot holding the shield together.

With a deft adjustment of her swing, Elara redirected her strike, her blade slicing through the critical knot. The shield shattered, the silvery threads dissipating into nothingness. Her momentum carried her blade forward, and in one fluid motion, she continued the arc of her strike, removing the Mage's head with surgical precision.

Not even pausing to take a breath, Elara wove the midnight blue threads again, casting [Shadow Step (Uncommon)]. She dissolved into smoke once more, flowing over the chaotic camp and reappearing behind the Spiritualist.

Mana: 693 of 1995

The Spiritualist was a tall man with a stern face, his dark eyes glinting with determination. He wore plate armor, a shield strapped to one arm, and a staff in his other hand, the metal reflecting the dim light of the campfires. Elara moved swiftly, performing another [Technique: Starlit Inscription Slashing Arc], her blade arcing toward the Spiritualist with lethal intent.

As the blade closed in, the Spiritualist reacted with surprising speed, bringing his physical shield up to block the strike. The impact of Elara's blade against the shield sent a jarring shock up her arm, and she realized her attack had been effectively thwarted.

In that moment, her [Awareness (Legendary)] flared, and she became acutely aware of the rogue charging behind her. The rogue was a lithe woman with short, dark hair, her face partially obscured by a mask. Shadows weaved around her, rendering her nearly invisible as she moved with deadly precision.

Elara moved quickly, redirecting her sword slash that had landed uselessly on the Spiritualist's shield towards the charging rogue. The sudden change in direction caught the rogue by surprise, and Elara's blade found its mark, stabbing deep into the rogue's heart. The woman's eyes widened in shock and pain, but with her last breath, she managed to slam her dagger into Elara's side.

Pain exploded through Elara's stomach, a burning, searing agony that made her gasp. Her vision blurred momentarily, and she struggled to stay focused. The wound throbbed with each heartbeat, sending waves of nausea and dizziness through her. She forced herself to stay upright, knowing that her survival depended on her next moves.

The Spiritualist, seeing an opportunity, placed his hand on her back. Elara felt a surge of pain similar to the spell the Shadow Knights from Barrowdeep had used on her. It felt as if her very essence was being torn apart, the agony almost unbearable.

HP: 1275 of 1944

Mana: 693 of 1995

"Help! Over here!" the Spiritualist screamed, his voice frantic. As he called for reinforcements, he quickly wove a new spell with black threads. The spell completed nearly instantly, slamming into Elara's mind.

You have resisted the spell [Mental Domination (Rare)].

Skill [Mental Bastion (Rare)] level increased.

The message popped up before Elara's eyes, giving her a brief moment of relief. She had resisted the powerful spell, her [Mental Bastion (Rare)] skill proving its worth. But there was no time to celebrate.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Elara swung her sword at the Spiritualist again. Her blade clashed against his shield, the impact reverberating through her already battered body. The Spiritualist blocked her attack once more, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and fear.

Elara's [Awareness (Legendary)] flared again, revealing the bandits converging on her position. She sensed the [Lvl 20 Human Swordsman (Uncommon)], [Lvl 13 Human Fighter (Common)], [Lvl 15 Human Fighter (Common)], and the [Lvl 16 Human Fighter (Common)] closing in, their intentions clear.

Elara's awareness picked up a more immediate threat than the charging fighters. The archers had taken position and were already loosing their arrows. She could feel the projectiles slicing through the air towards her. The sharp hiss of the arrows grew louder, and Elara's reflexes kicked in.

With a surge of adrenaline, she twisted her body, trying to dodge the incoming barrage. One arrow narrowly missed her head, while another grazed her arm, tearing through her sleeve and leaving a shallow cut. The pain was sharp but not debilitating. She saw two more arrows coming directly at her, their trajectories too precise to completely avoid.

HP: 1143 of 1944

Mana: 693 of 1995

Time seemed to slow as she calculated her next move. The archers were skilled, but she knew she had to keep moving, to stay one step ahead of them and the other bandits closing in on her. The camp's fate and her own survival depended on her ability to act swiftly and decisively.

Realizing she had lost the element of surprise against the Spiritualist, Elara made a split-second decision to abandon her attack. She wove the midnight blue threads for a third time, casting [Shadow Step (Uncommon)]. Her form dissolved into smoke, a wisp of darkness that moved swiftly towards the highest level archer, a [Lvl 12 Human Archer (Common)].

Instead of appearing behind him as she had with her previous targets, Elara chose to materialize in front of him. The Archer, anticipating her usual tactic, turned and pulled a dagger, expecting her to appear behind him. His stance was confident, his movements sure as he prepared to strike. In his mind, he had anticipated her perfectly, his dagger ready to meet her.

But as Elara reappeared directly in his path, his eyes widened in shock. The certainty in his gaze dissolved into pure surprise as he saw her blade coming from the front. Before he could react, her sword sliced through him with lethal precision.

The Archer felt the cold steel biting into his flesh, the shock giving way to a sharp, searing pain. His confidence shattered, replaced by an overwhelming surge of fear as he realized he had miscalculated. The fear was short lived as the blade bisected him. His mouth opened in a silent scream, his body crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap, the surprise and fear still etched on his face.

Elara didn't waste any time, knowing the other bandits would be upon her soon.

She took a moment to steady herself, the pain from her wounds threatening to overwhelm her. Quickly, she began weaving black and blue threads, casting [Warrior Reprieve (Uncommon)]. As the threads wove around her, she felt a surge of vitality, a significant boost to her HP and stamina, providing her with the strength she needed to continue the fight.

HP: 1160 of 1944 + (17.4 HP / Sec)

Mana: 426 of 1995

The camp was still in chaos, but Elara felt a renewed sense of determination. She knew she had to keep moving, to keep fighting, if she was going to survive this ambush and protect her companions.