Ke'an rounds up as many firearms as he can knowing he wont be able to rely on his revolver to contain his magic for more than a few shots. The strain he already placed on it in the last fight ruptured the barrel with a hairline crack. The new guns were not designed for use with magic so he imagines they will explode after one shot. Still with the ten guns and his own revolver sixteen shots is better than just six.
Once System is feeling ready they go out into the forest to inspect the carvings on the trees. Even though many people had been out to carve the trees, the lack of skill meant that most of the carvings were wrong and would not work. They walked the forest looking for diagrams with simple mistakes they could fix in short order without having to remake them entirely. They spent the remaining hour cleaning up errors on some of the magic circles before returning to the town.
The two returned to the small sections of homes around the orchard in the outskirts of the town. Since they had no idea where the new wraiths would come from they placed a bet that it would be in the same direction as the first two that arrived. Ke'an straps two guns to his back and the others he places around town in locations it will be easy to get to once the fight breaks out. The fields were in shambles and several of the homes were damaged but all of that could be rebuilt or replanted. The real loss were the stravani farmers that gave their lives fighting what they most certainly believed was an unwinnable disaster.
Ke'an placed his hand on the hilt of his weapon thinking back on the last two years he spent with System in her Reality Crucible. How according to the flow of time all of that had been less than an afternoon. Now his body and mind are alien to what he was before. He is in a state that is no longer human but also not quite what System was. The seemingly endless fights he was forced into while in the Graveyard were a precursor to what he will have to face now. The world itself is changing and will grind itself apart like his former body.
Ke'an pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. Had he not taken the power, System would have died and the world would have ended anyway. He would be lying to himself if he claimed that he did it for altruistic purposes or even to save the world. He saw an opportunity to take the power of a dragon and took it like the thief he was raised to be not a hero. He is wondering if the trade was worth it now that he has the power. Even he is finding it difficult to recognize himself.
Despite his internal conflict Ke'an and System felt far more prepared for this wave than the first. As the last minutes on the timer count down in Ke'an's quest menu he remembers that there were two skills he had not looked at yet. Although even without reading the descriptions he already knows how to utilize the new power. He is getting ready to open the skill menu when System gets his attention as the two wait quietly in the small settlement.
"How much time do we have?" System asks.
"We are in the final few seconds now. I have Manny and his team set up a little further at several vantage points."
"That's good. I am assuming we are not planning on using them though. If they shoot it would be suicide." System says.
"No, we are. If we need to take a breather or retreat back they cover us." Ke'an responds.
Ke'an takes out his stamps and pulls out the ones labeled fire and rock. The combination of which he places on his war machete's handle and on his boots. He had already placed fire and wind on all of the firearms including his revolver. Originally he was debating which of his stamps he would use on the machete, fire and wind which would have given him a much hotter blade. However, in comparison between all of his the sari'vas techniques pured, his magma form, is the most destructive. Now that he also has magic so potent it can rupture his gun he is curious as to the full extent of this magic.
"Give me!" System says with her hand out.
"Which one?" Ke'an responds.
"I will take fire and water, please and thank you."
Ke'an tosses her the stamps which she places on the dorsal side of both of her hands. After that she rolls up her pant leg and places the same stamps on her shins. After a few practice kicks she nods in approval as he hands Ke'an back the stamps. The two wait in the eerie silence both expecting to hear the wraith's shrieks any second. As the final few seconds ticked down the quietness became deafening and although nothing changed Ke'an senses were screaming at him to stay alert.
"You are the dangerous one, Meat." An in human voice bellows as it quickly rises out of the snow.
A silver blade quickly catches its mark as Ke'an is impaled through the throat just as the timer reaches zero.
You have been afflicted with Permafrost. You are a transcendent entity which can not be forcibly altered without significant force from a being of higher transcendence. You have resisted Permafrost.
You have been afflicted with Blood from a Stone. You are a transcendent entity which can not be forcibly altered without significant force from a being of higher transcendence. You have resisted Blood from a Stone.
You have been afflicted with Undeath. You are a transcendent entity beyond life and death. You have resisted Undeath.
"Sysss-hmmm!" Ke'an coughs as he recoils back grabbing his throat.
The creature pulls its sword from Ke'an's throat confused as he stumbles backwards, oddly still alive. The creature looks human in shape though the cloak and hood prevents anyone from seeing its face. Its body is largely hidden under a beautiful cloak that seems to be made from unnatural strains of ice fashioned into beautiful silk-like fabric. System infuses her magic into a punch but the creature easily avoids it and hops to a safe distance. Magic radiates from the hooded figure as it sinks back into the snow. The snow is not disturbed by the creature nor should it be deep enough to hide it entirely yet the creature vanishes into thin air.
"Are you okay?" System asks Ke'an. "You probably won't be able to talk for a while. Which is bad, we need your spells."
Ke'an coughs up blood but nods his head in agreement.
"I think I know what that thing is. It's probably a Whispered." System says looking around for another potential attack. "It is not from this reality and instead another one I created back when I was going through an emo phase… does this world have emos? Never mind, it's not important. Next time it appears, look at your minimap. If you see three red dots all together then I may know how to beat it."
Ke'an takes out his war machete holding at the ready as he and System stands back to back for any movement. He is dazed by the strike but is otherwise fine. He feels the wound in his neck slowly close up but the pain is a constant ache. He has to take slow and deliberate breaths as blood tries to fill his lungs. He coughs which only causes more pain in his neck as he struggles to focus on the fight at hand.
"Stop breathing already," System says as she elbows him in the side while not turning around to see him. "It will just distract you with all of that coughing."
He wants to respond but the gaping hole in his neck most likely also damaged his larynx leading to more coughing as he tried.
"What did I just say!" System yells at him as she hits him with another elbow. "Now is a better time than any to start breaking that mortal habit."
Ke'an groans and focuses on holding his breath, after a few seconds the instinctive reflex forces him to gasp. At the same time System suddenly grabs Ke'an and jumps to the side. The Whispered blade skirting by Ke'an's torso by a hair's distance. Time seems to slow as Ke'an reacts by looking at the minimap in the corner of his vision. Just as System said there are three red dots all clustered together. While still being pulled, Ke'an pushes out his Administrator's Authority and is terrified at what he sees pop up.