Project Seraphina [LitRPG, Magitech, GL]
2.63 Against the Cultists I

I stand in the middle of the practice field about an hour before dawn. Partially, I can’t sleep, and I want to do something more productive than tossing and turning all night. And partially, because I don’t want these last few hours to go to waste.

I’m sure Chloe will be out here soon to express her displeasure with me. And she’s not wrong to do so. I’m sure she’d rather me stay inside, cuddle with her, keep her safe and warm and comfortable. And that sounds really nice to me as well. Something to look forward to after today’s clash is completed.

But right now, what I need is to clear my mind. I’ve learned, over these past few weeks, that I’m the type of person who doesn’t relax by doing nothing, by putting my worries out of my mind and pretending they don’t exist. I need to be doing something, advancing forward, testing myself, building something, occupying my mind in some way that’s at least tangentially related to the tasks at hand.

Though I decline to engage in any major training this morning. I’m not risking any unnecessary mental strain trying to manipulate the [Gravity] glyph and leaving myself less than fresh going into our toughest battle yet. Instead, I spend the hour before dawn engaged in mental training, replaying our last fight against the cultist down at the capitol complex.

Madison had stressed to the old me about the importance of understanding my opponents. How they thought, how they acted, how they utilized their power and employed their Skills and weapons and summons and whatever else. Any biases or proclivities, even as minor and unconscious ones as a favored foot or dodging direction, are potential weaknesses that can be exploited.

I dare not expect that all of the cultists share all of the same weaknesses. But they have similar aims and all of them to this point have been summoners or callers of some variety. This similarity of creed and purpose, along with the fact that they frequently interact with one another, suggests there might be some overlap in weaknesses.

Considering the number of summoners of large bonded creatures, it’s likely that we’ll need to be prepared to fight in either very large spaces, or very small ones where we’ll have limited ability to dodge whatever creatures await us. I’m particularly unenthused about fighting oozes and worms in a dark compound where poor vision will hurt us far more than them.

I channel a simple [Light] glyph as a sort of warm-up exercise while I bemoan the loss of my [Flash of Insight] Skill. The [Light] glyph is far more versatile than my previous Skill, but it takes a solid fifty [Ether] to use for even a couple of seconds. This, in contrast to being able to use [Flash of Insight] for a mere twenty. At least my maximum capacity has increased substantially since back then, reducing the sting considerably.

“You ready for today?” Lindsey’s voice asks.

“No. Not a chance,” I respond. “I don’t think anyone really can be ready for something like this.”

Lindsey laughs. “Again, you’re proving that you would have made a damn fine Ranger had you chosen to go down that path.”

“By not being ready? Sounds like I’m doing the exact opposite of being a fine Ranger.”

“No, not because you’re not ready. No matter how much you practice, no matter how many drills you go through, you’re never fully prepared to face Death in the eyes. But it’s the fact that you’re still willing to do so, even knowing that you’re not ready, that proves that you would have been great in the position.”

I demur for a moment. “So, how much longer until all this starts? I imagine we’re going to want to eat and properly gear up before we head off to… Where are we going, anyway?”

“Just after breakfast, we are, and far north side of the city. Twenty miles or so to the northwest.”

“At least it shouldn’t take more than half an hour or so. What sort of intelligence do we have?”

“Not much, sadly. Stefan and a few others have been keeping an eye on their hideout, but they haven’t been able to get too close due to the risk of being spotted.”

“So we should probably assume that they have been spotted, and prepare ourselves as though we’re walking straight into a trap?”

“Probably the wisest course of action.”

Hope for the best, expect the worst. That maxim has been ingrained in me since I was old enough to understand what it meant. Though only in recent days have I been forced to revise it slightly. Still I hope for the best, but maybe it’s better to expect the unexpected instead. There’s no sense in expecting the System to simply materialize a bunch of level 500 creatures to instantly annihilate the entire planet, or a collapse of the false vacuum leading to universal annihilation, or similarly outlandish worst-case scenarios.

We stand outside for a little while longer. Neither of us says a word until Chloe joins us, giving me a small berating about leaving the barracks without telling her and worrying her so. Which, to be fair, I could have left her a note or a text or something.

In either case, we head inside for a warm but ultimately fairly light breakfast of English muffins and toast. There’s a few strips of bacon and plenty of assorted fresh fruit as well to supplement the light fare before us. And though I know I maybe shouldn’t overeat, I just can’t help myself but go back for seconds. And thirds. I almost go back for fourths as well, before Chloe demands I cease. Can’t refuse Healer’s Orders, after all.

With breakfast finished, a degree of unease settles over the entire company. The unease has probably been going on for far longer than just the morning, now that I think about it, except I’ve been absorbed in my crafting and [Ether] control exercises these past two days and haven’t noticed. Some heroic angel of justice and good I am. Definitely something to work on in the future.

As we finish gathering our belongings and make our way outside to march to our final battle of this campaign, Stefan calls all of us to attention. It’s the first time I’ve seen him since our return from our dungeon excursion. He’s not quite as bulky as he was before, but his eyes are more focused and determined, and he’s bearing a few new scars on his face and lightly armored chest. The sword he has sheathed at his side seems even more impressive than before, and I can sense his blazing aura pulsing outward. I have no doubt that he’s advanced his class just like Lindsey and I have, and probably into a swordmaster-leadership hybrid class not too far off from Nicholas’s [Tactician].

He coughs. All of us turn our attention to him. As I gaze at him, I notice that he’s on the verge of tears, his eyes glistening in the dawn’s early light. He wipes them off quick as a flash before he starts to speak.

“Men and women of the Red Pack Adventuring Company, I want to thank each and every one of you today. Every one of you, from the soldiers to the support staff have gone above and beyond the call of duty, selflessly working to defend our great city, state, and nation. As the founder and acting leader of our guild, I want to say how proud I am of everyone here. So please, give yourselves a round of applause, because you all deserve it. So very much.”

And we do.

“Today we face the toughest challenge our fine city has endured in nearly thirty years. Perhaps an even greater one. For months now, a group of terrorists who call themselves the Order of the Wilds has sought to terrorize us. They have attacked our city. They have injured us. Some of us have lost their lives to the relentless attacks that they have instigated.”

Chloe, healer that she is, pats Kristil’s back. The two of them share a look. I turn to them both and offer Kristil a smile. I’ve been through similar, but I know that loss affects each of us differently. She gives me a solemn yet sincere smile. I sense no hostility behind it. Just that she’s still grieving Caroline’s death, all while trying to move forward as best she can. It’s the same for me.

“But will we let them continue?”

We all shout out ‘No!’ in unison.

“They have claimed that the true state of the world ought to be wild, untamed, primal, and brutish. They seek to deny us the comforts of the civilization we have built over thousands of years. And they’ve shown no regard or remorse for the lives they have ruined in the process. Let us take a moment to pay respects, to honor and remember those lives lost, and the families they left behind.”

The crowd gathered has swelled— in addition to the three dozen or so of us who are dedicated fighters, another hundred people who tend to the guild’s administrative and logistical functions have taken a break from their normal duty to listen to Stefan’s speech. Eyes are turning wet. Those who have lost weep, finding comfort in the arms of those who’ve been more fortunate. To my surprise, I find Chloe and Lindsey wrapping Kristil and I into a somewhat-awkward four person hug.

I don’t know if we’ll continue to travel with Kristil when this is all said and done. She might try to rebuild her life here in Red Clay City. But whatever she decides, I’m glad to have met her and shared time and experiences together.

“But not anymore! Their campaign of terror, of murder in cold blood, ends today!”

We all break into a raucous flurry of battle cries and applause.

“Today, it is not us, not our families, not our friends who will cower in fear. We have cowered long enough! Today we will take the fight to the cult themselves! We will show them that our teamwork, our compassion, our fighting as whole is not a weakness! The bonds of love, teamwork, friendship, and community that we all share are what make us human. And they are our greatest strength!”

Another round of cheers. It’s not just his words that are having an effect on us. My muscles feel a little more toned and limber. My mind feels a bit more focused.

[You are affected by [Bond of Resolve]. All stats increased by 10% while status is in effect. (Time Remaining: 2:44:59)]

I turn to Lindsey and tap her shoulder. “I can’t do this for everyone, but I want to do what I can as well.” I feel warm, holy light building in the palm of my hand, which then flows into my friend a moment later.

Her eyes space out for a moment, probably processing the effects of the spell I cast upon her.

“Damn,” she whispers, almost inaudible even to my ears. “When did you get a Skill like this?”

“Class change,” I respond.

“Seems like everyone else is getting powerful Skills. I’m a little jealous.”

“Power is power. Classes have a way of balancing themselves out in the long run.”

“I guess you would know.”

“Now then!” Stefan says, snapping us out of our conversation. “The road ahead will be challenging. I cannot promise that we will all emerge from our ordeal unscathed. But I can be damn sure that I will do everything in my power to ensure that we emerge triumphant!”

Another round of cheers follows. Many among those leaving for battle are hugging the friends and family members who are staying behind at the hall.

“Now then, my compatriots, my companions, my friends. Let us march! Today we fight! Today we win! Today, we take back our city!”

I know that we will. I too will use the full slate of my powers to see this hope actualized.