System Break

I sent demon bird to wake the others and nodded to Reyas to follow me. She followed as I crept towards the qi cores that were bobbing as they walked.

Demon bird flew down from the tree and began to squawk before he pounced on Ailen's head.

The unknown stalkers halted at the sound of the bird and I heard hissing. I glanced at Reyas who shrugged. We had no idea what they were.

We were separated by less than a hundred yards and I could see shapes. They walked on two feet, but they had snouts and tails. There were taller than most men and I would have sworn they were walking dogs except I couldn't see any ears protruding from their silhouettes. 

I waited for demon bird to lead the others to me. He hopped along the ground and they crept behind.

The intruders finished their discussion and fanned out. They headed directly towards us. When they got closer their green skin glistened in the moonlight. Then I noticed their scales and lizard like features.

"Lizardmen," Ailen breathed and he received scolding glares from the women.

The lizardmen halted and drew their weapons at the sound. Despite having no ears their hearing was sharp enough to pinpoint our location.

I stood and took a step towards them. "Do you want to fight or talk?"

Three spears hurtled towards me. I could see qi shining along their shafts guiding them. They might be guided but I could dodge like a mother fucker. I engaged qi-agility and qi-speed at the same time and flew to my left. The spears turned, but the ability was good for minor adjustments and not for tracking tree-folk monsters with qi dodging abilities out the wazoo. 

"I guess that means fight," I said and charged. Their attention was on me and I'd keep it that way while my friends ambushed them.

I can safely say - I now know what a surprised lizardman looks like. The same as a regular one but you can see the whites of their eyes.

Their spears levelled towards me and they formed a semi-circle quickly. They needed to because I was fast. I weaved and sped across the eighty yards in less than ten seconds. They crouched and I leaped. I sailed right over their first rank and their spear points followed me. 

When I jumped, I was higher than they could reach, and their spears tracked me as I skidded amongst the rear group of fighters. I was surrounded by a dozen lizardmen. Just where I wanted to be.

I exhaled and my breath was visible in the cold night air. My spears were still on my back and I took up a side on stance with my knees bent slightly. It was my best Bruce Lee impersonation. 

"I don't know what you have against us," I said, "But you're about to be fucking sorry."

Twenty-four lizard eyes were focused on me preparing to skewer me with their spears when arrows began to slice through necks. Reyas was between the archers and the lizardmen, waiting to repel any attacks on our ranged arsenal.

Some lizardmen fell and the rest scrambled into action. Instead of dodging spears that were thrust at me I grabbed and pulled. The first I ripped from its grasp - using qi-strength I easily overpowered it.

The second I pulled from his feet and flung him. The third hit my arm as I twisted, and qi-sparks flew as it met the resistance of my tough skin. I was cut, but the lizardmen were surprised at how hard it was to damage me even a little.

I rewarded the one who cut me with a qi-strike to his stomach. I turned and my fist flew using my strength, the living wood embedded in my arm and the qi I had at my command. He flew backwards like he was hit by a wrecking ball.

"Stop," one said, and they obeyed immediately. I thought they came to their senses with seven fallen. 

The one who spoke stepped out of the darkness. He wasn't amongst those that I spied earlier. He was shorter and wore a hooded cloak. He moved like he was old, decrepit, and not a fit warrior like his brethren.

The warriors retreated behind him.

I peered at him. "You want to talk now?" 

His staff raised slightly, and frost appeared on the ground near my feet. I engaged qi sight and said, "Shit." There were qi-streams emanating from his staff in intricate patterns I had not seen other than in a troll.

Before I could move, my lower legs were encased in blocks of ice. I was so enraptured with his talent that I was watching it rather than getting the hell out of dodge. 

I reached for a spear and in one swift motion drew it and threw it at his head. Another block of ice appeared in front of him and my spear embedded itself. The qi guiding it cracked the ice, but it was a far cry from busting through to hit him.

Their spears were thrown at me and I dodged like Neo in the matrix. My back bending with my arms twirling and feet planted. One struck my leathers on my upper leg and another grazed my chest.

The Lizardmen charged around their shaman until he shrieked. An axe appeared in the middle of his head cracking it open like a walnut.

They were overcome with remorse at the death of their shaman. I wasn't. "That'll teach you bastards to ignore an angry woman with an axe."

I punched the ice that encased, pulverizing it foot by foot until I could rip my feet free. I pulled the spear from my leathers and pretended it didn't hurt. It hurt like fucking hell.

Reyas, Gisael and the archers took care of the remaining five despondent lizardmen. They were broken after the death of their shaman, or whatever he was.

Gisael ran to me and inspected my wounds. "Tsk," was all she said and began to apply a poultice from her pouch of magic remedies.

She pushed me down to sit on an uncomfortable rock and her hands worked expertly. "Is this a skill you can teach?" I asked to distract myself from the pain.

"Sakaala learns it."

"Oh. Why not Ailen?"

"It requires," she tapped her temple.

I laughed. Harsh but fair.

She smiled. "It is good you wear the mask. They do not attack your head because it looks well protected."

"Isn't it?" I said as winced. She was packing the hole in my leg with some gawd awful green goop.

"It is." She bared her teeth. "This will hurt - be ready." And before I was ready a flare erupted from her flint and something caught fire in my wound.

"What the actual f…."

She covered my mouth with her hand. "Be quiet. Next time do not rip a spear out, you made the hole larger. Wait for me if you can."

I grumbled something about healing myself like a troll being preferable. I was wearing troll leathers after all. And that's when an idea hit me. I pushed some qi into the leather, it wasn't easy getting qi to leave the body, but it was possible with enough determination.

Tiny streams twirled through the leather around the hole. I twisted them and looped them like I was stitching, and the leather hole grew smaller by a fraction.

I laughed. "See that?"

She shook her head.

"Watch," I said and tried again.

Her eyes grew wide when the leather came alive and the hole grew smaller again.

"I reckon I can fix this in a day," I said.

"Do not drain yourself," she warned.

I checked my core. "Right. Last thing I want to do is dream walk again."

She pushed me back and began to work on my chest. 

Redmond wandered amongst the lizardmen. Ailen and Sakaala collected the cores and Reyas kept watch. 

Redmond approached Ailen, "That was amazing. My heart was pumping."

Ailen smiled, "That was nothing? Still want to be a crafter?"

He nodded. "Sure. I'm thinking that will be amazing too and I can always join in, right?"

"I guess so. But we don't know what happens if you die. What happens if you lose all your skills?"

"Damn." Redmond paced with his hand on his chin. "I won't take risks until we know for sure."

Ailen grabbed the core and threw it in his pack. 

"Hey," I shouted. "Don't wreck the skins."

Ailen looked guilty.

Redmond whispered. "I get it now. He was fucking amazing."

Ailen nodded. "Special forces. Dad did some digging. One of their best."

"How is the old man?"

Ailen moved to the next corpse and tried to make a small incision. The demon bird began to peck away at the one he made a mess of.

"You'll find out tomorrow night. Dinner, remember?"

Redmond mouthed dropped. "I totally forgot."

Ailen grasped the qi core and grinned. The hole was almost not bad. "It's easy to do that in here."