Lazarus

  Primordial limit.

  Primordial 1.

  Paragon luck.

  Paragon strength 4.

  Presence detection 4.

  Regeneration 13.

  Centaur riding 5.

  Sex 8.

  Sword mastery 1.

  Blink 3.

  Resistance 2.

  Acid resistance 2.

  Poison resistance 1.

  Centaur pleaser 10.

  Forging 1.

  Copycat 1 (-------)

  Primordial blessing 1.

  Limitless Primordial 1.

  Primordial Pantheon (presence detection 4)

  Skill points - 0

  Arath didn't bother to announce herself as she began to gather speed, her shield braced in front of her. Her blue armour seeming to glow brighter the faster she moved.

  The djinn noticed first and simply faded away while the harpy tried to jump into the air. She wasn't fast enough and took the brunt of Araths shield bash to her side. Arath didn't stop there and continued, smming into the wall on the far side.

  That must have hurt.

  Arath didn't think it was enough and began to repeatedly sm her shield into the small crater she had created a growl of pure rage tearing itself from her lips. I mean granted it was probably deserved from her point of view.

  Kayalett for her part managed to close all of my main wounds to the point I was no longer bleeding. Not that it got rid of the blood already covering me but it was something. Was going to have to get Arath to make me some more clothes now as my current ones looked like they'd been through a shredder.

  Presence detection 5 acquired.

  At this point it was expected.

  I spun around throwing out a hand to push Kayalett out of the way, a little harder than expected as I lifted her entire spider half and threw her into the wall with a thud but it got her out of the way of the harpy. I was really getting sick and tired of her teleporting crap.

  My sword still in hand I blocked her ambush noticing one of her wings was broken. Well done Arath.

  Blue armour simir to what Arath had on just before surrounded my body and a quick look in her direction as I spun around deflecting another strike confirmed hers was no longer around her body. Now this I could use.

  I pushed against the harpies attacks gaining ground easily with her broken wing slowing her down. It also helped I didn't need to block as much now that the armour protected my previously exposed arms. Can use them as a makeshift shield and not just a st resort, a problem most Squires didn't learn fast enough.

  Deflecting a strike to the left I got my bde through her guard scoring my first wound against her good arm. It wasn't deep but it was progress. Now only to repeat it.

  The harpy changed tactics, biting down on something in her mouth that caused her broken arm to realign itself. Yeah still hate that.

  Multiple small bdes appeared in her wings as the rge one dissolved. How in the hell was she going to throw them with wings not hands? She answered my question by thrusting her wings forward sending all six at the same time with some type of skill.

  I should learn to stop asking stupid questions and just assume magic is the answer.

  Arath seemed to just appear behind me her shield smming into the ground in front stopping the thrown bdes. Always keep your tank between you and the damage.

  Diving between her legs I slid under her equine half so I wasn't in her way and the blue armour dissolved from my body only to appear around my padin again. Neat skill that one.

  I briefly admired the view as I passed underneath her and two teats just in front of her back legs caught my eye. Learn something new about centaur anatomy every day.

  Coming back up to my feet I was pulled to the side by Kayalett who'd recovered well from my little over exertion.

  "Stay here husband." She whispered positioning me in the middle of the alleyway, her body fading until I could only see her outline as she moved. I know she's an ambush predator but giving a healer invisibility is a little overkill, and that was totally because I'm jealous.

  Arath and the harpy were still locked in their fight but my centaur gave a quick nod when she noticed where I was standing before positioning herself in a way that made sure she had her entire body between us.

  Trying to get some advantage the harpy used Araths shield as a springboard in an attempt to get on her vulnerable back. My mare stepped forward as this happened just enough that instead of nding on her back the harpy was put in the perfect position to receive a double barreled kick from her hind legs.

  The resulting impact was somehow louder than when she'd been hit by the shield and unched her in my direction. I braced myself waiting for the harpy to come within range only for her to freeze midair.

  Not freeze, she was stuck. Kayalett deactivated her invisibility as she perched above us all on her almost transparent silk, each one of her four hands spread out like she was pying with marionette dolls. Dam she created her web incredibly quickly and created whatever was trapping the harpy. Because an invisible healer wasn't strong enough.

  Letting out a chuckle I raised my bde ready to end this, only to be stopped by the djinn who reappeared beside me shaking her head. I gave the harpy a quick gnce before returning to the djinn.

  "Don't kill her?" I asked and she nodded. "Why?"

  She put her fingers together and created a kinda ball shape with her hands. I didn't understand and looked towards the girls.

  Arath was moving close while keeping an eye on the harpy and the djinn while Kayalett stayed up above. Neither offered a solution to what the djinn was trying to say.

  "Going to have to expin a lot more than that."

  She scowled in frustration but summoned her dagger and began to carve a picture in the side wall. It depicted a harpy in a bubble within the djinns hands, or it looked like that as I'm pretty sure a two year old could draw better.

  "You want the harpy in your bubble?" I asked scepticaly.

  She nodded obviously happy I understood even though I still had no idea.

  "And will she be able to escape?"

  The djinn shook her head.

  "Will she be comfortable?"

  Again another shake.

  I looked to the girls trying to gauge their reactions. Arath still looked pissed while Kayalett looked to be almost drooling. I guess it's up to me then although it is so tempting to just let my little arachne eat her. I mean the djinn did save my life so I guess she can have the harpy, especially if she can't escape.

  "Sure, she's all yours."

  No sooner than the words had left my mouth her face lit up in a grin than extended well past her cheeks like a dam Cheshire cat. If I had some type of sanity stat I'm sure I just lost half of it just from that alone, before both her and the harpy dissolved into nothingness. That's not creepy at all.

  Bringing myself back to the present I was greeted with Arath pulling me into a bear hug as she buried her face in my chest, soft muffled sobs escaping from her position. All I could do was pat her head in response. I couldn't really say everything was fine, I knew from experience having something you were protecting taken right under your nose was not going to be a happy experience. Even if it was returned.

  In her eyes she'd failed and in my eyes I'm to dam weak to not need her protection. I even knew something was wrong and didn't say anything.

  Kayalett descended from her web pcing a hand on both of our shoulders. "We really should head to your house Ally. We can't stay here."

  Ally? Of course they had pet names for each other.

  Wiping her face Arath wordlessly pced me on her back while tieing some rope around my waist that connected to her own. I was not going to argue but it was slightly humiliating, whatever helped her get thought this.

  Picking up the first harpies corpse Kayalett bundled it up in silk before pcing it into her storage. It almost looked like she was saving it for a snack ter on. Let's just not ask that question and remain oblivious.

  Neither girl spoke during our trip back and even the looks I got from passerby because I was covered in blood seemed to pale compared to what had just happened. Well we could stay in the dumps or we could do something about it and I for one was definitely going to find out how to get stronger. Not that I regret any of my skills I already have but more is better and I am all for a bit of a grind.

  Reaching forward I whispered in Araths ear. "Cheer up my love, we just need to get stronger. Moping won't help and we have training with the soldiers tomorrow, it's a great opportunity."

  She mumbled something I couldn't make out but her gallop increased a little bit, so a little progress. We were almost home by the time my centaur had shaken the worst of her fears and after a bit of fumbling with the rope so I could get off her back we finally arrived home. We let Kayalett enter first just so we could share a kiss outside. More to prove to each other everything was okay than anything else but it helped. Now we could get cleaned up and figure out our next pn.

  "Good afternoon Lazarus."

  And of course Rayna was sitting in the middle of our living room drinking tea with Willow.