The night spreads across the forest, which comes to live. Creatures of the night coming out of caves, burrows and nests. The mob making it way trying to find a place to stay before morning returns.
Tau who is walking with Palesa complimenting her quick action that held the snake down. She says.
"Not really you did most of the work afterall. The way you fight is really manly, it so exciting watching you tear into that monster." Palesa didn't say anything about the feeling since no one else has brought up the euphoria of using magic yet.
Gcina waves at the both of them, she has spotted a potential kill. The beast is a thorn rat. Thorn rats are giant rodents covered in quills. It has orange fur that is intertwined with it quills.
Tau goes first getting its attention, he holding his fang tipped spear. The grass feel much under his barefeet. His toes dig into the ground as he hurls his spear forward. Stabbing the side of the Thornrat. The Thornrat twists out of way into Tau. A quill goes through his leg.
This is the worst pain he has ever felt like a splinter into the eye. The pains burns and stings Tau drops his spear falling to the ground grabbing his leg. Yelling in pain. Gcina heart jumps she aiming at the Thornrat that is fully focused on Tau.
The plan is Tau, will fight monsters head on while she and Palesa will provide support.
Palesa runs out in a panic, she is even yelling at the monster. "Get away from him you dumb rat!" She startles the Thornrat which scurried bavkwards. She lands in front of Tau. She faces him, he is on the ground crying in pain. Bleeding from wounds. The has gone through his thigh and out the other side leaving a massive wound.
Gcina grabs Diana who almost ran out when Palesa shouts, "Diana help us he bleeding out." Tau rolls away when she tries to apply pressure on his wound. Diana looks at Gcina who is extremely worried yet determined.
Tau yells out loud it's fucking painful, the only thing he can compare it too, is when he had to have wisdom teeth pulled. This eats at him the same the constant pain. The irritation of the wound an itch that can't be scratched.
The Thornrat jumps out of the shadows moving towards Palesa like a demon possessed. Howling with quills up stretched. A ball of fire flashes into, it cries out in pain. The flames grow more intense when another shot of fire is fired. Gcina leaps out with Diana.
Diana rushing to his side, the long silver fringe hair shining as she starts healing. The healing does not feel like a wave of relief but rather it feels like a intense burn. Tau grits his teeth, this is a pain he can deal with plus with Diana and Palesa in front him. He feels a little embarrassed but that quickly fades as Diana hugs him feeling his him up.
Diana is checking is wound to make sure he is healed properly. The contact allows her to better feel that her healing is working. Gcina grabs his spear and kills the Thornrat. Then goes to check on Tau and Palesa.
"What happened man, you had it dead to rights?" Gcina asks Tau at the beginning she was she he hit it in the ribs and expected it to drop dead or close enough to dead.
"I just thought... Doesn't matter I will do better next time. I'm sorry I didn't mean to make worry." The scent of shame from him, make Gcuna reconsider her next words.
"At least we are all and Palesa that was really amazing even thou you didn't stick to the plan." Diana puffs out her lip when Gcina says this and Palesa is frowning.
Palesa says, "All I did was freak out in the end I didn't even get a chance to attack properly.
Gcina says," An old friend use to say in battle what's important is making a decision a following through. "
Palesa nods as Gcina walks towards the Thornrat using the other snake fang to cut it its core. The core is red rock like substance, the meat won't be anygood since they have place to cook it and the fang might poison it.
The mob moves leaving the kill out in the open, Gcina hopes that the scent of fresh blood will lead some of the more dangerous monsters away.
Tau is now more vigilant of what went wrong, his thought that might have to kill the poor animal must be quashed. Gcina already explained that everything including themselves is food. The only way to survive is to kill but more importantly the only to grow stronger is experience.
A few miles later the mob comes across a small buck. It is wrapped in wood and has little sprouts for horns. This time they decide to let Palesa go first since she seems eager to fight.
Tau did want to protest but also did not mind not being the first into combat. Her and Gcina sat behind the bush while Gcina explained how fire of a spell. She uses a lots terms like that skills, spells, magic, mana. They are all learning alot especially Tau who has no need to know any of this since he is the only one without magic.
Palesa shoots off her ice, which forms into a dart piercing the the little buck. It cries out as it dies collapsing. Tau goes to cut out the core, trying to be useful. When a huge fireball explodes behind him.
The explosion is so close that his ears are ringing. Which is making him walk funky and has given him blurry vision. A sharp stab in his back. Looking down his green skin toward the throbbing pain. It is a sharp green branch drench in his blood.
Another explosion goes off, followed by an ice dart then another. Gcina is shouting something, Palesa is rushing towards him. Tau is in a daze the pain is fuzzy he tries to pull himself off the spear.
Palesa fleis back, Tau is flung about into another tree. It's dark Grey bark sticking to his skin as he falls off it. Tau stands looking for his spear. Blood coming out his mouth, Gcina is pointing at Palesa yelling.
Tau cant hear for shit, her voice sounds like ringing to him. In front of Palesa, a stumb falls then another. There are four stumbs in total all connected to the a bigger trunk. He can see a face it is a big buck. Seven interconnected spikes forming its horns.
Tau, thinks he is yelling... "Ah!!!" The blood is pouring out of his wound. He is starts running, his body feels strong thou his mind is hazy. He rushes the monster grabbing it by the horn twisting.
The motion of cracking the buck heads, makes the rest of the body flip over exposing the underbelly. Another shot of fire and two darts of ice. Palesa is smiling her cheeks slightly flushed. Tau struggles against the animal it kicks and thrashers but it legs can't get past its head.
Tau pushes against the horns driving them into the ground. Every muscles in his body is alive with power. Diana moves closer to him he can feel her magic working on him.
Palesa let's loose smiling each fist releasing a dart. She punches and punches until no more darts comes out her skin going a bit whitish. The blue of her skin fading slightly she doesn't stop punching the monster.
Gcina has moved to the otherside throwing a fireball every few seconds. She is also looking at Tau smiling. He looks amazing holding down that buck. Like a painting of an anceint hunter who has grappled his prey to the ground with his bare hands.
The monster bucks one last time as an exhausted Palesa sits exhausted on the field battle. Each of them looks at each other in turn and start laughing. They come together Diana touching each of them, her healing geven relives stamina drained which makes them all feel refreshed making the high of battle feel even better.
Gcina pulls out a bigger core than usually and starts smashing it inti smaller pieces. Four separate pieces which she gives to each of them.
Mastery point acquired.
They all look at Gcina and ask, "what is going what's a mastery point."
Gcina says "certain enemies are stronger and have better quality core some of which of consumed can be used to develop your skills. This is how we monsters grow stronger. Unlike..." Gcina is interrupted by Diana who just finished healing Palesa.
Diana says, "My thing that magic thing, it is saying that I have awaken the skill Revitalize."
Gcina hugs her immediately, "You are the best you know that." Diana smiles widely as they hug. Tau and Palesa both congratulate her.