Seth stirred awake in the swaying night caravan. Sitting up carefully, he made sure not to disturb the two other passengers who were still curled up asleep under threadbare blankets. His eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light filtering through the narrow gaps in the window curtains. Judging by the bumps in the road, they hadn't arrived at Arthuri yet.

Quietly, he fished a folded parchment from his bag: the beast-hunting contract he'd picked up from the Adventurers Guild's outpost before leaving.

Beast: Fishlords

Rank: Low-Copper to Peak-Iron

Location: Fishlords Empire Rift

Amount: 5 to 500

Reward:

- Low- to Mid-Copper: 10 common coins each

- High- to Peak-Copper: 35 common coins each

- Low- to Mid-Iron: 15 copper coins each

- High- to Peak-Iron: 50 coppers coins each

He skimmed through the descriptions of the fish-like humanoid beasts once again: four to seven feet tall, armed with hefty claws, two rows of razor-sharp teeth, and crude human weapons such as spears and tridents. They had numerous fins on their bodies, but the important ones were those on their heads—one fin meant Copper, two Low- to Mid-Iron, and three High- to Peak-Iron. According to the Rift guide at the outpost, none of the three-finned Fishlord should be in the small villages near the border.

'Are you really sure you'll be okay killing beasts that live in organized societies like humans?' Nightmare asked from within the Beast Holder.

'For the third time, I'll be fine,' Seth retorted, tucking the contract back in his bag. He then thought about the Faertis' tax collector, Lucius, and the Paladin who'd shattered Renwal's arms. 'One day I'll have to kill humans too.'

After a final jolt, the caravan rolled to a stop. Seconds later, morning light invaded the darkness of the carriage's interior as the driver swung open the door.

"We've arrived. Everybody out," the man grunted.

The other passengers groaned and stretched as Seth shouldered his bag and stepped outside. The moment his boots hit the cobblestone streets, he found himself in the midst of the awakening city. Shops near the caravan station were opening, merchants were unloading their wares, and the scent of freshly baked bread filled the air.

Without delay, Seth adjusted his newly filled Protecting Belt and made his way toward the city's north gate. As he passed by the guards, he nodded and kept his face partially hidden, just in case Lucius' arrest order might still stand, then he broke into a jog.

The sun gradually climbed higher in the sky, its light cutting through the scattered clouds and warming the plains. After two hours, he reached his destination: a small, hazy portal hovering between two towering, monolithic rocks next to a patch of forest. A few steps away, a weathered wooden sign displayed the words 'Fishlords Empire.'

I guess I never noticed the Undead cave's portal because it was too dark, he realized, moving closer.

Sitting not far from there, a trio of what looked like adventurers were engrossed in a conversation. The most vocal among them was a burly man with a scruffy beard and a battered iron chest plate, a large battle-ax at his side. The slim woman sitting cross-legged beside him was armored in dark, tight leather, and a pair of slender daggers was sheathed at her waist. The last one seemed much younger than the other two—looking more like a teenager in his leather jerkin. Seth wouldn't have believed he was older than seventeen if it wasn't for the wooden staff topped with a gemstone he carried. Whenever the other two laughed, the blond youngster joined them with an awkward chuckle.

Probably a new recruit, Seth thought. Or a customer.

It wasn't unusual for someone to pay for protection while hunting beasts to increase their Rank, but typically the buyers appeared wealthy, while the young man certainly didn't. Such services were quite expensive.

Seth suddenly noticed another person slumped in the shadow of one of the large monoliths beside the Rift's portal. The man, who seemed in his fifties, wore tattered, dirt-stained clothes and his expression was completely empty, as if he was lost at sea and had given up on being rescued. But then, when his gaze fell upon Seth, the man scrambled to his feet and shuffled over.

"Adventurer, please, my daughter went in there four weeks ago and hasn't come back," he said, eyes filled with desperation. "She's a young Warrior, blonde hair. Her name's Felixia. If you see her—"

"Shut it, old fool!" the bearded adventurer shouted over his shoulder with a glare. "Your daughter's gone. Dead. Stop your damn whining."

Seth glanced at the trio, then looked back at the desperate father and nodded. "I'll keep an eye out for her."

Almost simultaneously, a cold sensation prickled in his chest—someone had Identified him. The burly man then burst into laughter. "Look at you! You won't even survive in there, let alone save someone!"

Ignoring the man, Seth squared his shoulders, took a deep breath, and strode into the portal. Nausea instantly struck him and his mind blurred, as if every part of his brain was being scattered and then stitched back together. The sensation only lasted a few seconds, but it was still deeply uncomfortable.

When he opened his eyes and his vision cleared, he found himself in a foggy forest. A thin veil of mist drifted between the mossy trunks, limiting the visibility.

Nightmare moved out of Seth's necklace and materialized next to him. 'Nothing is triggering Danger Sense.'

Seth pulled out his bow and nocked an arrow before glancing at his Protecting Belt. There was no way to know when he'd be able to fill it again—it'd be best to rely on its protection only if they ran into an Iron beast.

'Let's move.'

Seth and the direwolf advanced cautiously through the fog, their senses heightened. Each crunch of leaves beneath their feet seemed to echo ominously through the trees. Seth's hand remained steady on his bow, eyes scanning the dense mist for any signs of movement.

'Smell anything?' he asked Nightmare, who had been sniffing the air.

'Maybe one of them ahead, but I'm not sure. I've never smelled those things.'

Soon, the landscape began to change as they moved forward. Patches of murky water started to appear among the roots and the ground turned soggy, oozing and gurgling with each step. In the distance, the fog hung over what seemed to be a small swamp.

'Be on your guard,' Seth cautioned.

A low growl sounded from the haze, and a creature emerged from the water. Its green skin glistened in the dim light, red fins protruding from its long, gangly arms and legs. One of its clawed hands clenched a crude spear's shaft, and its horizontal head bore a giant maw filled with rows of jagged teeth. Aside from its bulbous belly and bulging eyes, the most notable feature was the large single red fin on its head.

Copper.

Seth squinted, and as the creature turned toward them, he drew and released his arrow. The projectile tore through the air and buried itself in the Fishlord's chest. A guttural scream rippled from the creature's throat as it staggered, dropping its spear.

Almost instantly, three figures sprung out of the dirty water behind—three other one-finned Fishlords. Wasting no time, Seth infused aether into his arm and fired another arrow at the one already injured. Before the creature could react, the projectile found its mark and pierced through its elongated head, killing it on the spot. With a swift motion, he then stowed his bow, drew his long dagger, and cast Identify.

Fishlord Sentinel

 

Potential: Iron Tier

Rank: 15 (High-Copper)

Affinity: Water

 

Strength: 31

Arcane Power: 19

Toughness: 19

Well Capacity: 23

Agility: 33

Regeneration: 20

Fishlord Sentinel

 

Potential: Iron Tier

Rank: 11 (Mid-Copper)

Affinity: Water

 

Strength: 21

Arcane Power: 17

Toughness: 12

Well Capacity: 16

Agility: 24

Regeneration: 19

Fishlord Sentinel

 

Potential: Iron Tier

Rank: 12 (Mid-Copper)

Affinity: Water

 

Strength: 23

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Arcane Power: 17

Toughness: 14

Well Capacity: 17

Agility: 28

Regeneration: 20

'I'll take care of the Rank 15,' Seth told Nightmare, eyes locked onto the biggest of the charging Fishlords. 'You can have the other two.'

Without a word, the direwolf vanished, melting into the omnipresent shadows created by the mist. A heartbeat later, he teleported behind the farthest Fishlords and pounced at its throat. The creature let out a strangled cry of pain, but before it could strike back, the direwolf twisted and snapped its neck as if it were a twig, silencing the screams forever.

When sixty-one Strength meets twelve Toughness, Seth thought, black lightning arcs hissing and popping around his dagger as he charged at the Rank-15 Fishlord.

The creature thrust his trident at him, but Seth ducked, dodging under the blow and swiping his electrified blade across the Fishlord's midsection. The dagger cut through its green skin effortlessly, leaving a trail of sizzling flesh and spasming muscles in its wake. The creature twitched and gasped in pain, its large eyes almost leaving their sockets as it started collapsing.

Using the momentum, Seth immediately drove his dagger upward, plunging it into the creature's oversized head. The lifeless body then fell backward, and he wrenched the blade free in a gush of dark blood.

'I guess you won't take any of their beaststones?' Seth asked, turning to Nightmare, who had just crushed the last Fishlord's skull between his jaws.

'No, these are too weak,' the direwolf answered, dragging the creature's corpse closer. 'I'm not wasting twelve hours on them.'

Seth knelt and began to harvest the beaststones. 'You think Iron stones also take you twelve hours to digest?'

'No idea.' Nightmare bit the furthest Fishlord that Seth had killed with arrows and also hauled it back. 'We'll see how my channels react when I eat one.'

Seth continued cutting the creatures' bodies open, prying out each of their stones. Maybe in the future, they wouldn't waste time on Copper ones, but for now the low-Tier crystals were still considerably valuable. As he stored them in his leather bag, he spun toward Nightmare. 'We should let the next Copper Fishlords cast a spell or two. In case the Iron ones use the same ones.'

'Sure.'

During the previous evening, Seth had read everything there was in his father's encyclopedia about those beasts and their spells—Water Blast, Haste, Ocean Armor, Piercing Thrust, Healing Flow—but he knew it'd still be better to see each of them at least once before facing an Iron Fishlord. Maybe I could find a weakness.

After cleaning his dagger in a patch of damp grass and drying it on his trousers, Seth stood up and sheathed the blade. 'Alright, let's go.'

Nightmare took the lead and Seth followed, bow in hand. With every step, the mist seemed to thin and the murky puddles gradually turned into shallow streams weaving among the trees. Before long, they were forced to zigzag around all the water to avoid getting too wet.

Eventually, they exited the forest and reached higher ground, where the fog was almost gone. From this vantage point, Seth could see a vast stretch of marshy plains, with enormous rocks, large trees, and bushes scattered on the dry patches of land between the water.

Seth's gaze landed on two distant, walled villages, encircled by wooden palisades, with columns of smoke rising above them. Probably Fishlords settlements.

'Let's stay away from those for now,' Seth said, turning to Nightmare. 'They're probably packed with Irons.'

'Weren't you interested in the resource vaults?'

Seth frowned. The Rift guide had mentioned crates filled with valuable resources like rare flowers, ores, and elixirs in the Fishlord villages. Raiding those had been tempting at first because of the extra coins, but not after thinking it through. 'We've got a whole month of hunting ahead of us,' he answered. 'Let's pick them off one by one to start. If that goes well, maybe we'll try the nearest village.'

'As you wish.'

As he scanned their surroundings, Seth spotted a lone Fishlord holding a spear not too far down the slope ahead. Descending from their vantage point and sneaking closer, Seth and Nightmare used the larger rocks and trees for cover. But as they prepared to engage, Nightmare's Danger Sense tingled. Almost in unison, two Fishlords burst out from the water next to them—the largest one, which stood just over six feet tall, bore two fins on its head.

'An Iron, shit!' Seth exclaimed through Link, casting Identify.

Fishlord Sentinel

 

Potential: Iron Tier

Rank: 22 (Low-Iron)

Affinity: Water

 

Strength: 72

Arcane Power: 56

Toughness: 39

Well Capacity: 43

Agility: 69

Regeneration: 41

Fishlord Sentinel

 

Potential: Iron Tier

Rank: 11 (Mid-Copper)

Affinity: Water

 

Strength: 23

Arcane Power: 17

Toughness: 12

Well Capacity: 16

Agility: 22

Regeneration: 19

Without hesitation, Seth pushed aether into his arm and let his arrow fly at the one-finned Fishlord, wanting to take the weaker one out first. Meanwhile, Nightmare lunged toward the two-finned foe, wisps of dark smoke rolling from his maw.

Seth's arrow struck true and embedded itself in the furthest Fishlord's shoulder, causing it to scream and clutch at the projectile's shaft. Switching to his dagger, he dashed forward and quickly slashed its exposed throat twice, reaping its life. Then, he turned toward Nightmare.

The direwolf was having a tougher time—the two-finned Fishlord was surprisingly agile, dodging his bites while trying to spear him. Just as Seth was about to help, his core sent a surge of energy through his body, making him jump to the side, narrowly avoiding a powerful jet of water.

Seth whirled toward the one-finned Fishlord who had been their initial target.

Fishlord Sentinel

 

Potential: Iron Tier

Rank: 17 (High-Copper)

Affinity: Water

 

Strength: 21

Arcane Power: 39

Toughness: 26

Well Capacity: 32

Agility: 27

Regeneration: 23

The humanoid beast extended its arm, which sent another blast of water erupting from its palm. Driven by instinct, Seth twisted his body and dodged again. The creature bared its jagged teeth in response, glaring at him.

"Let's dance," Seth muttered under his breath.

Pushing aether into his Haste's grooves—which now felt incredibly easy with the new Refined quality—he darted toward the Fishlord in a blur, grip tightening on his dagger. The creature tried to aim another Water Blast, but Seth was too fast; he slid beneath the creature's outstretched arm and drove his blade into its side. With a growl, he twisted the dagger, sending dark lightning crackling across the Fishlord's body. The hideous creature's pained screech was so loud it almost pierced Seth's ears when he yanked the blade free, black blood splattering onto the leaf-strewn ground.

The Fishlord clutched its side, and bulky corals began to grow on its chest, spreading toward its limbs. Seth recognized the spell immediately.

"As if I'd let you," he hissed, swinging his dagger and slicing the creature's left arm off. Ocean Armor immediately stopped expanding, and as the creature opened its maw to scream—or bite—Seth infused aether into his blade and slashed its neck. The Fishlord toppled over, life vanishing from its large eyes.

Immediately spinning around, Seth found Nightmare still engaged in a fierce battle with the two-finned Fishlord, now covered by its own Ocean Armor. The direwolf lunged again trying to snap its leg, but the Fishlord dodged and counterattacked by driving down its spear, forcing Nightmare to Shadow Step next to a rock a few yards away.

'I'm coming,' Seth called out mentally, sprinting toward the skirmish while noting the few spots where the direwolf's Shadow Bites had already eaten away parts of the thick coral plating.

A sixth of Seth's Well evaporated when black lightning arcs flared on his dagger's blade. Before the Fishlord could turn toward him, Nightmare launched another assault, drawing all its attention. Blocking the direwolf's teeth with its spear, the humanoid creature fended him off and tried to also spin toward Seth—but it was too late.

Seth's dagger had already reached it, burying itself into an unprotected spot of bare skin in the creature's back. The Fishlord roared, its body jerking as the dark lightning hissed across its limbs, wreaking havoc on its nerves. The hideous beast suddenly thrashed, lashing out with its clawed hand and forcing Seth to pull out his dagger to parry. The keratin and metal connected with a tremendous force that sent him flying backward, hitting the ground a dozen yards away.

"Argh, fucking hell!" Seth groaned, struggling to get to his feet.

Seizing the opportunity, Nightmare lunged and clamped his jaws around the creature's leg. Dense black smoke dug into the Fishlord's armor, corroding everything it touched, coral and flesh alike. The creature screamed and tried to retaliate with its spear, but the direwolf dodged again, dashing to the side.

Seth sprinted back toward them, dagger raised. 'Let's end this before it—shit!'

The moment the Fishlord pressed its webbed hand to its wounded side, water gushed from its palm and wrapped around the injury in a swirling, luminous embrace. The liquid shimmered faintly, its glow intensifying as the torn green flesh knitted together and the broken coral armor began to regenerate, piece by piece.

"Oh, hell no!" Seth shouted.

Immediately, he pushed aether once more into Haste's grooves, crossing the remaining distance in a flash while Nightmare slipped back into Illusionary Emptiness. The Fishlord interrupted its healing spell and aimed its spear at Seth.

Driven by the instinct of both his body and his core, Seth launched his assault, unleashing a fierce series of slashes. As the creature parried all the attacks, it smirked, and blue aether began twirling around its spear.

Piercing Thrust! Seth hurled himself to the side, and the weapon shot past, missing him by inches. The spell tore through the air with such force that it cleaved a several-feet-deep trench without even touching the ground. Sparks of aether crackled along the freshly carved gouge, scorching the surrounding foliage.

The Fishlord whirled and glared at Seth, but at that moment Nightmare appeared behind it and leapt, biting into its neck. As the creature tried getting rid of the direwolf, Seth charged, pouring almost all of his remaining aether into Dark Shocking Strike and increasing its density. The Fishlord noticed him and jabbed its spear toward him, but Seth dodged, twisting his upper body, and drove his blade into the creature's chest. A loud roar escaped its maw, and dense lightning arcs surged across its limbs when Nightmare seized the chance and crushed its neck.

The Fishlord's large body collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, and Seth grinned, breathing heavily. 'Well, that was…'

'Exciting?' Nightmare finished for him.

'I was gonna say dangerous, but sure,' Seth answered with a laugh before glancing down at his Protecting Belt. Even if the thrill of the fight would be less intense, he should probably use it for the next Iron one they faced. That Piercing Thrust likely would have killed him if it had connected.

'I'm taking that stone,' the direwolf said, starting to tear off the flesh of the Fishlord's chest.

'Go ahead,' Seth answered, moving to the two other corpses while looking down at his hand to see his attributes.

Seth

 

Class: Primalist

Rank: 19 (High-Copper)

Subclass: -

 

Core: Feral Instinct

 

Strength: 35 (+6)

Arcane Power: 31 (+6)

Toughness: 27 (+4)

Well Capacity: 25 (+4)

Agility: 39 (+7)

Regeneration: 30 (+4)

Spells:

- Link [???〜??? (???)]

- Dark Shocking Strike [Copper〜Rare (Standard)]

- Haste [Copper〜Uncommon (Refined)]

- Identify [Copper〜Common (Refined)]

Holy shit, Seth thought, marveling at the numbers. They'd only been here for a couple hours, and he had already gained seven attributes. The first fight in a brand-new environment always yielded the most improvement, but still—that was a quarter of what he'd earned in three full months at the academy. No wonder so many Primalists gamble their lives on Rifts. The growth rate is insane.

As he knelt down and began harvesting one of the stones, he scanned his Well, which was already twenty-percent full. The filling rate was even better than in the Undead Rift. Even with the ratio between Seth's Regeneration and Well Capacity nearing one, significantly slowing its recovery, it would be full in less than an hour.

A faint smile crossed his lips. Just like the cave, this place is perfect.

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