The laughter that echoed through the jungle clearing was low and menacing, cutting through the dense foliage like a blade. A figure stepped into the dim light, cloaked in tattered dark robes, their face hidden by a hood. The faint glint of steel flashed beneath the fabric as they were joined by several others, their movements deliberate and coordinated.

  “Took you long enough,” the leader said, their voice smooth but laced with malice. “You’ve saved us the trouble of clearing this area, and now we’ll be taking both you and the treasure.”

  Lorelai, paralyzed from the toxin coursing through her veins, strained against the invisible bonds holding her down. Her fingers twitched uselessly by her side, and her breath came in shallow gasps. Thrax, similarly frozen, growled low in his throat, his draconic eyes blazing with fury but unable to act.

  Aeryn stepped forward, her crimson rapier gleaming with a faint, pulsing glow. She was the only one left standing, her body coiled like a spring. “You’ll regret stepping into this clearing,” she spat, her voice sharp and defiant. “If you think I’ll let you lay a hand on them, you’re mistaken.”

  The leader chuckled, unfazed by her threat. They gestured, and two heavily armed mercenaries stepped forward. Their armor was reinforced with intricate runes, and they moved with the precision of seasoned fighters. Each carried a weapon imbued with arcane energy, their power thrumming in the humid air.

  “You’re brave,” the leader said, “but bravery won’t save you. These are no ordinary soldiers. Each of them is over level twenty-five. Do you know what that means, blood witch? It means they’ve fought far worse than you. You're also quite mistaken if you think they're our only targets, Ms. Vampire Lord."

  Aeryn narrowed her eyes, adjusting her grip on her rapier. She knew the odds were against her, but retreat wasn’t an option. She lunged forward, her blade aimed at the nearest mercenary. Her strikes were quick and precise, a blur of motion fueled by desperation. Blood magic swirled around her, amplifying her speed and power.

  The first mercenary blocked her strike with their shield, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the clearing. The second swung a massive halberd, its blade crackling with electricity. Aeryn dodged narrowly, the weapon slicing through the air where she had stood moments before. She countered with a slash that tore through the mercenary’s armor, drawing blood.

  It was a losing battle, for every blow she landed, they retaliated with brutal precision. The mercenaries worked in tandem, their strikes coordinated and relentless. Aeryn’s stamina began to wane, the blood magic not enough to overcome their advantage of levels and numbers.

  “Enough of this,” the leader barked. They raised a hand, and more figures emerged from the shadows, each carrying strange, rune-inscribed devices. The collars glinted ominously in the faint light.

  Aeryn’s eyes widened. “Slave collars,” she hissed. “You bastards.”

  The leader smirked. “You didn’t think we’d kill such valuable products, did you? No, we have much better plans for them.”

  Before Aeryn could react, one of the mercenaries broke through her defenses. The blow wasn’t lethal, but it sent her sprawling to the ground. She rolled to her feet, panting, her grip on her rapier tightening. Behind her, Lorelai and Thrax were completely immobilized, helpless as two mercenaries approached them with the collars.

  “Stop!” Aeryn screamed, surging forward. The remaining mercenaries intercepted her, their weapons forcing her back. She fought desperately, her movements growing more frantic. Blood magic blades danced around her, striking out wildly in desperation but even she couldn’t take on so many. She sent two small tendrils of blood toward Lorelai and Thrax, creating as much mayhem as possible so the blood went unnoticed. Once the blood reached them, it wrapped around their ankle and settled like a tattoo.

  The collars snapped into place with a chilling finality. Lorelai’s eyes blazed with fury, but her body refused to obey her commands. Thrax’s growls turned into guttural roars of frustration as the runes on the collars glowed, sealing their power. Lorelai could feel the runes activating, tendrils of oppressive energy binding her will and sapping her strength. A crushing weight settled over her, as though every fiber of her being had been shackled to a power far greater than her own. The collar’s energy surged through Thrax, suppressing his draconic instincts with an unrelenting grip. It was not just his body that was immobilized but his very essence, his fire dampened to embers. The violation was profound, the loss of control cutting into his pride like a blade. For both of them, the sensation was a harrowing reminder of their vulnerability, a visceral testament to the slavers’ complete domination. Thrax’s growls turned into guttural roars of frustration as the runes on the collars glowed, sealing their power. Lorelai quickly dumped all her points from her level up into her will stat in the hopes it would assist her in the coming trials, but so far the change had done nothing.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Ah, so were the rumors true,” the leader mused, stepping closer to Lorelai. They reached out, tilting her chin up to meet their gaze. “An angel, hiding among mortals? How spectacular.”

  The mercenaries murmured in surprise, their eyes lighting up with greed and a twisted sense of triumph. Some exchanged leering grins, their gazes heavy with entitlement as they assessed their captives like prized trophies. Their laughter carried an edge of malice, a stark reminder of their power and control. One of them chuckled darkly, muttering, "Never thought we'd get our hands on an angel. This’ll make us legends." Another reached out as if to touch, stopping only when the leader shot them a warning glance. Their anticipation filled the clearing like a suffocating fog, each moment dragging on with the weight of their dominance. The leader ran a hand along the curve of Lorelai’s jaw, their touch lingering with deliberate control. Their fingers moved with a slow, deliberate confidence, as if savoring the act of asserting their power over her. "So soft," they murmured, their voice low and filled with a predatory satisfaction. The glint in their eyes spoke volumes—a twisted mixture of ownership and amusement. Lorelai's glare burned fiercely, but it only seemed to amuse the leader more, their grip firming ever so slightly as if to remind her of how utterly powerless she was in this moment. She glared at them, her teeth clenched, but she was powerless to resist. .

  “Beautiful,” the leader murmured, their gaze roaming over her paralyzed form. “Angels are scarce these days, even more so than demons. You’ll fetch an excellent price.” Their hand moved lower, tracing along her collarbone. His hand moved to one of her breasts, her body betrayed her by sending a shock through her, "Oh so sensitive, that'll make things better for our buyers," the man gloated as he removed his hood, the weasel beastman smiled. The other mercenaries laughed, their leering gazes making Aeryn’s stomach turn.

  “Get your filthy hands off her!” Aeryn screamed, her voice breaking with a raw, desperate edge. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat a frantic drum of fear and fury. The sight of Lorelai, motionless and vulnerable under the mercenaries’ grasp, ignited a fire in her veins, and her blade felt like an extension of her frustration, not her power. Her strikes were wild, erratic, as though trying to fight off not just the enemies before her but the crushing helplessness that threatened to consume her. Aeryn’s mind raced with fragmented thoughts—blame, desperation, and the overwhelming weight of failure—each one clawing at her resolve. Her voice cracked again as she roared, the sound filled with a helpless rage that cut through the cacophony of laughter and taunts around her. She fought harder, slashing wildly at her attackers, but she was outnumbered and exhausted. A heavy blow struck her side, forcing her to the ground again. She gasped for air, her vision swimming. Someone waltzed closer to her with a collar in hand.

  The leader turned to her, their expression amused. "You’re fierce, blood witch," he said, their voice smooth and dripping with condescension, "but even you must realize when a fight is lost." Their smirk deepened, and they leaned slightly closer, their gaze locking onto Aeryn’s with a chilling intensity. "Your defiance is admirable," they added, the words almost a mockery, "but utterly futile."

  Aeryn’s mind raced. She couldn’t save them alone, not like this. She hated herself for what she was about to do, but there was no other choice.

  “This isn’t over,” she growled, staggering to her feet. With a burst of magic blood erupted from the ground making a large red fog as she propelled herself backward out of the mercenaries’ reach. She turned and fled into the jungle, her heart pounding.

  “Run, little witch,” the leader called after her, their voice dripping with mockery. “It'll make catching you all the more pleasurable.”

  As Aeryn disappeared into the shadows of the jungle, tears stung her eyes. She had failed to protect them, "I can at least track them down now," she thought. She at least had a way to save them, but it would require her to do the one thing she did not want to do: She had to ask her father for help.

  class: Martial Force

  Agi - 22

  Will - 22

  End - 18

  Int- 16

  Lightning Animus: Scarlet Thunderbird

  Aura of Purity - emanate a protective aura that radiates from you granting allies protection and curing against poison, charm effects, and status ailments such as paralysis and petrification. Cures minor curses.

  Bolt Slash/Piercer: A slash(sword)/Punch (Spear) that sends out lightning/radiant magic attack from a weapon. Small chance of paralysis effect, duration 1.5 s

  Gravity Slash/Piercer: The slash presses down, the punch presses to a wall or other object. Str of gravity effect coordinates with WILL stat.

  Daylight(light magic)- illuminates dark areas, weakens undead, and dispels magical darkness below a certain level/tier

  Zakir- large bolt of lightning shot with two fingers, high piercing effect

  Oppression- greatly increase the gravitational force in an aoe

  Gravity Centrifuge-you create a focal point to create your gravitational pull point. Any enemy within a fifteen meter radius is pulled towards the center. The closer to the center, the stronger the pull. The ball of gravity explodes at the end of the spell dealing damage proportional to proximity to the center

  Repulse- can repel or pull any metal object under the effects of lightning clad

  Weight Manipulation (upgrade pending)- Alter the weight of yourself or target, concentration required. Drastic changes are available at a higher tier

  Spatial Storage: Provides a pocket dimension to store non-living things in, the size of the space is dependent upon your INT stat.

  Rapid thrusts - Give numerous quick thrusts, number of thrusts dependent upon AGI stat power of thrust dependent upon STR stat

  Dash(Rank II)- rapidly increase movement speed for up to 2 meters cd 15 seconds. Speed of dash is dependent upon AGI stat, distance is dependent upon STR stat. At a small mana cost create an after-image to confuse enemies

  Counterstrike- Parry and counter strike with a higher chance to critical. crit chance dependent upon WILL stat, damage dependent upon STR

  Smite- Coats armaments in divine energy to augment weapon damage

  Affinities: holy, radiant, light, lightning, gravity, spacetime, electromagnetism

  basic skills- dash unarmed combat

  Swordsmanship: Diamond Cutter: Dragonslaying Sword (second form)

  Spearmanship: Spear of the Divine: Precision and Punishing (second form)

  unique talent - shapeshifting (human only)