Path of the Slayer B3 34. Breakfast & Towers

For the next half hour, we ate like kings and queens, all fourteen of us.

Velira and Weaver ate the calmest, sampling each delicacy like they were the prim, proper example of noble patrons, even with the elf eating ‘vegan’ eggplant platters while drider had his breakfast rabbits alive but unconscious. Brug and Redfang were the opposite, tearing into slabs of steak and bowls of fluffy eggs like their lives depended on it.

Kroker prayed to his God-Dragoness before every bite, the half-kobold’s faith becoming more fervent than ever. Syleth merrily fed Merlin while the half-naga whispered secrets into the dwelf’s ear. Noodles tried and failed to feed Thumper, the neko cackling madly as the half-giant kept fidgeting about in refusal.

I couldn’t even judge much, because I had Marnarka and Grimmy all over me, the half-minotaur blushing while the half-gob made childish choo-choo sounds.

I asked her how she knew that noise, and Grimmy had no idea, making me think it was a train reference from Modern Earth Realm that she’d learned by accident. Then I stopped caring after getting another fluffy scoop of scrumptious sausage pancakes stuffed into my mouth followed by an offer of a huge mug of milk.

I stopped to look at the half-minotaur, who was offering the chilled and creamy milk, and the resolute expression on her tanned face made me ignore the low lying fruit of a joke I could’ve made. At the very least, the milk was delicious and sweet and made me want more.

Watching over us, our Elder Veterans seemed to glow with more warmth than usual, even Sharia. Maybe our presence as their juniors was affecting them. Granted, they were parents, so maybe their parental instincts were kicking in.

I didn’t blame them. There was something nice about having juniors, especially when they were responsive and loyal, even when they somehow got a tub of jam in one’s dreadlocks.

“Whoops!” Grimmy chirped.

Eventually, our breakfast ended, and we took off. Veteran Zez led the way while Veteran Sharia watched from the back, with me in the middle as I sipped on another Epic Path Elixir, raising my low Path Energy gradually. 

We took some twists and turns, bypassed the diamond-armored guards, and crossed a bridge over a radiant moat to exit the palace. Crystal gardens, shimmering mansions, and marketplaces on top of giant formations of pearly blocks stood before us.

As we left behind the palace, we became one with the wealthy crowd, countless voices and folks surrounding us. Yet, it became clear that my squad knew how to move like an unbreakable unit, impressing me.

Veteran Zez used a bit of magic and the power of his Domain to divert attention from us, especially me, the infamous nomad, and Merlin, the Diamond Castle Tournament Champion.

Veteran Sharia exuded a Domain of intimidation that even affected the other Veterans positioned as guards. The thick crowds parted out of our way, and we glided through the immense castle-grounded city.

When we reached a tunnel in the walls, Veteran Zez shifted back and waved me down. Once I lowered, he whispered into my ear, “This way will lead us to one of the towers. Unlike the way we took to get down here, the passages to go lower must be done by more personal means. Thankfully, most towers are like tubes, mainly hollow except for the aging staircases along the walls.”

Getting access to one of the towers was simple: the moment we reached the entrance of a descending tower, I revealed the Dragon Princess Crest to a platoon of Veteran guards, and they granted us access. Once inside, we stopped on the edge of a platform with an open staircase zig-zagging its way down the darkened and hollow tower.

It looked like a long way down, all swallowed by darkness.

Merlin, of course, provided our way down by summoning his Epic Dragon Gunship. We all went aboard, and immediately, Thumper inscribed his concealing spell while Merlin multiplied its potency with his Path Magic.

Just like that, we were on our way down to the next floor while concealed and alone to just us and our ride.

“Before we begin, who’d like to receive their gifts?” I asked the juniors. “I made nine sets of gifts for nine special juniors, and if you’ve been good hard workers, then you get to have them.”

“Me! I’m the goodest and hardest worker! I want the gifts!” Grimmy shrilled.

I looked over at Veteran Sharia and Veteran Zez. They held their silence, making the juniors uncomfortable, breaking even Weaver’s impeccable poise, until both the wife and husband broke out into chuckles.

“They’d worked hard. As hard as I would want. So they’re good,” the Veteran Raider confirmed.

“I concur!” chirped the Veteran Bard.

“Then so be it!” I reached into a pouch and threw sets of armor and weapons at my juniors, shocking them, thrilling them, getting them to break down and cry even, especially in Redfang’s case. “Use your Path Energy to make them attuned to you. Then you can use the runic controls on the breastplates to strap in easier.”

I gave further instructions to those who required them, but it didn’t take long until I had all nine of them lined up in front of me, dressed and armed for war.

From their backs, their power cores waited patiently to be filled, so I ordered them all to down a Legendary Path Elixir each. And just like that, with each junior clad in silver, green, and gold Epic Rank 5 armor, they could all achieve 300% Path Energy.

“Incredible!” roared Brug, hefting his Epic Rank 5 battleaxe up and down in cheer. Now he looked like a true legionnaire.

“You got my exact dimensions!” Marnarka said in praise, twirling about in a mix of heavy-plate armor up top with a chain skirt below. On each arm were her Epic Rank 5 tower shields with sharpened edges.

“How did you even get my dimensions in such fine detail?” Weaver asked, clad in light plate armor that covered all of his drider legs and sensitive lower parts. Each of his fingers ended with retractable mini hooks that caught wires and threads far easier.

“The tailors from the Final Rose,” I said smugly. “Nothing I did is without some sense of purpose.” I tapped my helmet. “I do like staying one step ahead.”

They all stopped and looked at me in a new and brighter light. Grimmy dawdled up while dressed in classic knight armor, with swept-back metal fans on the sides of her helmet that shielded her ears.

In her hand was the equivalent of a half-gob greatsword, which was more of a bastard sword for me. Unlike my helmet, her open visor wasn’t shaded, so I saw the welling emotions in her trembling yellow eyes.

“How can we repay you?” she asked shakily.

“Help me crush the Royal Quest,” I said. “I want all three objectives completed, and if each of you can help and survive, then I would truly be proud of this squad no matter how things go afterward.”

They didn’t seem to know how to respond to that, so I told them to fool around a little with their new weapons and simplified power armor. The 300% Path Energy excited them the most, and for good reason: they could each take on a Legendary effectively.

Other Epic Pathwalkers at their Levels wouldn’t be able to compete.

With this knowledge, the juniors dashed, hopped, skittered, scrambled, slithered, and moved about with extra gusto while testing their new weapons on make-believe shadows or lightly on each other. The clamor and noise of brilliant magic and crafts across the gunship was fun to observe, especially when I noticed how each of them moved differently and with greater expertise than when I left them two weeks ago.

Looking over to the side, I caught the Veterans glancing at me. I walked over to them, curious to hear their thoughts.

Veteran Sharia was quick to share hers. “You can’t honestly expect everyone to come back from this alive. Even with these power armors of yours. We’ve done all we can to train them up, but the odds are far outside your favor still.”

Veteran Zez spoke next out of concern. “And even with our help, I’m afraid my wife and I will be occupied in holding off whatever nasty Rank 5 monster they’ll have in store. I’m also certain they’ll at least have one Veteran who is as powerful as Sharia. The others in their embassy can be a hassle for me, and will surely be a force of reckoning for you, Merlin, and Thumper.”

“That leaves their juniors against your juniors. And their juniors will heavily outnumber yours,” Veteran Sharia muttered. “Those power armors won’t be enough. Not when you’re surrounded by the Defiled Covenant and their abominations.”

I laughed.

Both Veterans looked at me as if I were insane. That was okay. They hadn’t gotten to meet the third Veteran of the squad.

They hadn’t gotten to meet V.

“I have more up my sleeve,” I said, leaving them with that.

Turning away, I gestured with a nod for Merlin and Thumper to join me front and center on the main deck. The juniors noticed and lined themselves without me asking.

“Alright, everyone, raise your hands if you gained a new power or two.” I raised mine.

So did Merlin, Thumper, and Grimmy.

The other eight juniors hadn’t. Ignoring Veteran Sharia’s glare, I carried on without missing a beat.

“Raise your hand if you’ve grown sharper, greater, and more coordinated after two weeks with Veteran Sharia and Veteran Zez.”

They all raised their hands.

Okay, I could work with that.

I led them in sharing gains while avoiding any mentioning of my actual Path as the Slayer. They were initially impressed that I’d gone up to Level 93 after killing Edwago, but that paled compared to everything else I had going for me.

While the others listened, they grew more and more shocked. Even the Veterans were stunned by the depth of my gains and the amount of powers I had.

Some details, such the magic of my Veteran Rex, I kept brief, adding to my mystery, which ironically made my juniors look up to me even further. Sometimes, being the enigmatic figure helped sell my plans even when I wasn’t one hundred percent certain.

You could get away with a lot by saying less and acting confident.

After I finished, I encouraged participation from the juniors, even if they lacked powers beyond Path Magic. I heard what they improved upon and how their intrinsic growth would make the squad stronger as a whole.

Grimmy’s gains made her sound like she was the most brilliant junior ever.

The growth in her speciality and overall capabilities thrilled me so much I couldn’t help but cheer a little for her. Thumper’s gains were solid and worthwhile for his overall Path, though it seemed like he’d fallen behind a little.

Then there was Merlin…

“I’m still sorry about how I acted,” Merlin said, his gaze focused on a corner of the gunship.

“You’re forgiven, man. I’m not even sure why you had to do what you did during breakfast,” I replied. “That was dramatic.”

“Well, it was just a formal way to prepare you for understanding my newest power.” Merlin chuckled, sounding slightly crazed. “No, I got nothing special from the tournament other than lots of credits, prestige, and some new spell books. I’m sharper with my powers, yes, but nothing significantly changed until I made a certain promise to the System.”

I froze. Working my jaw, I forced out my words. “Merlin … what did you do?”

Merlin laughed even more deliriously. “Well … you see … I’m truly yours, Arden. A Wizard Until Death.”