Free Web NovelChapter 13: Chapter 13: Set 2
Zach was recruited before Roe was. He was on the tower doing his training; he was just making much less progress.
Things moved slowly for Zach. They always did.
He never really knew how to overcome doubts, not until recently when an old man gave him a purpose.
He sucked at the very basics, like flight.
He used a staff like every awakened mage. It was just so small. He couldn’t use it to fly like the others.
It was even a running joke among his set. Zach didn’t get a staff; he got his own little wand.
It was the joke everyone would crack.
It wasn’t really funny, or at least he didn’t think it was.
No one filtered their thoughts around him. ’I guess they didn’t feel threatened.’
Lot called his students together. There were 8 in total.
He said he was no longer going over the basics of flight and mana with them.
"I’m done with all those primitives," he said.
"Let’s get to the real stuff, you know."
This was the first time this bunch would encounter a rift.
Merlin approved of Solomon’s set first before he gave the others to Lot and the others who would be teachers.
Lot’s class consisted of only A ranks. He had no S rank. He had little variety before Zach came.
Lot believed Merlin added Zach to make things more interesting or nerf his lineup.
Either way, it was a decision he personally wasn’t fond of.
This set, the Second, consisted of eight, as established. These eight were:
(Lot was the one who called them the Second. He knew they damn well weren’t the first, so he’d settle for this.)
Zach - C rank with Wind Talent.
Gandy - A rank with Blood Talent.
Modred - A rank with Darkness Talent.
Morgause - A rank with Space Talent.
Finna - A rank with Space Talent.
Edward - A rank with Space Talent.
Kathra - A rank with Space Talent.
Sigman - A rank with Space Talent.
Half of Lot’s class had the Space Talent.
It felt like a cruel joke. Lot himself didn’t have the talent. His was Time. He wasn’t quite sure how he would even relate to his students.
He wanted to get their fundamentals way above solid so they wouldn’t rely on him as much.
"Okay. This is going to be your first real one."
"Go make me proud."
He pointed in the general direction. They could see it. They just needed to make for it.
What they needed to see wasn’t the rift. It was barely there. The thing had already dumped monsters.
They all summoned their staffs and, in the instant that followed, they were airborne, except one. Zach was still on the ground.
He was able to summon his wand, but that was just about it.
"Hey, let’s go," Modred said to him as he extended his hand.
"Yeah, thanks," Zach said as he accepted the hand.
They all flew steadily. No one was stupid enough to expend too much mana to get up quickly. The advantage of speed wasn’t worth the mana expense, they thought.
They all made it through the barrier and were now literally sky-bound.
Lot didn’t believe in pairs. He told his students to be independent. Help out when help was needed, but never act with others in mind solely.
This was his philosophy. He made sure his students shared it.
It was only a matter of whether they practiced and committed to it.
Mana beams were being thrown left and right.
"Head down!" Modred shouted.
Zach rolled like a ball. He knew that was the only way he could dodge the attack. He didn’t want to be a hindrance.
"Space Talent, No. 900."
The higher the count, the stronger the spell normally was.
The Collapsing Space.
Description - The spell creates its own rift that sucks up mana and lifeforms until its space capacity is consumed.
Some of the beasts resisted. Actually, a lot of them did.
"You guys! Edward has already set up the perfect attack. Let’s follow up with mana beams and send these monsters packing."
Mana beams were sent to persuade the monsters to make their way to the spell.
One by one, they all got swallowed.
Consumed.
Until eventually, the spell came undone.
This was pathetic.
"What happened?"
They all knew, all too well in fact. Space, Time, and Energy were created for those with S-rank pools.
For an A rank to use such talents, they were already at a disadvantage.
"This is going to be a problem, isn’t it?" Zach said.
"Problem?" Modred asked.
"No. No. This is easy stuff."
"Darkness Talent, No. 157. Shadow’s Fear."
Description - It spawned a shadow version of the opponent’s biggest fear. Its faithfulness to how strong the fear was depended on the mage’s mana.
The monsters mostly stopped moving.
Modred fell. He didn’t collapse. He was still very much conscious. The spell was just taking its effect.
The monsters and range he cast the spell across were too vast for him to manage.
"I can hold. Don’t worry, guys," he said.
He fainted immediately after.
The others seized the opportunity to fire mana beams. The monsters were barely conscious. It seemed like the right idea.
It was.
"Go!" Finna shouted as she fired a huge burst.
Sigman chanted.
He didn’t think the beams alone would suffice.
"Space Talent, No. 20."
He used a lesser-ranked spell. He was learning from his peer’s mistake.
The Pocket.
Description - The Pocket was a realm storing weapons and artifacts. freewёbnoνel.com
He told the others they were linked.
"I’ve set up a link!" Sigman shouted.
Portals opened in front of each of them.
"Just think of a weapon and go."
They were mages, but they still knew how to throw things.
"Sword."
Finna charged. A strike from the left ending on the other side.
Gandy.
"Axe."
A powerful lower swing cleared a bunch of legs.
The monsters would disintegrate when killed.
Gandy smiled.
The others summoned weapons of their own.
There was just one left.
This one had made no move prior.
It just seemed to be watching.
It finally moved.
It took a step.
It roared.
"Pleasure to meet you too," Sigman shouted back with charisma.
