An aura emanated from the elder as they stared each other down. Ray did not budge, and an aura of his own began wafting over the area.

  The elder's eyes widened. “The seventh threshold in under a year! Impressive. I see I must take back my earlier comment.”

  A spark of pride shot through Ray’s chest before quickly vanishing as his anger returned.

  “How about this, if you cease this hostility at once and pledge yourself to me and the new clan, I will form all will be forgiven and we can work together to destroy the hordes once and for all!”

  Ray suddenly broke into a fit of laughter.

  The elder furrowed his eyebrows as anger flashed through his eyes. “Is there a joke that I am missing?”

  “Yeah,” Ray began between fits of laughter. “You know you're the second person to make me almost the exact same offer, and the thought of accepting yours over an ascended scale kin monarch. I couldn’t help but laugh when imagining the look on her face.”

  “You have quite the imagination, don’t you?” his face hardened. “This will be your last chance, boy. Pledge yourself, or I will be forced to knock some sense into you by force.”

  Ray’s joy faded, and he took on a serious expression, meeting the man's gaze. “Oh, everything I said is true, and I have no intention of bowing down to either of you.” His aura pulsed and strengthened as the elders diminished, almost like it was being devoured.

  The older man took a step back, shock evident on his face. He glanced down at the crowd below, and his confident facade returned. “Fine, have it your way.” He burst forth with surprising speed, drawing a mace and shield from thin air.

  The appearance of the weapons surprised Ray, but he was already prepared for the incoming strike. He dodged to the side, and a network of wires sprang from his right arm, entangling the man.

  “What the hell!” the elder roared, struggling to break free.

  It was useless as Ray constantly gave the limb a high infusion of stamina, strengthening it. He did not even have to worry about running out, as a continuous influx poured into him as Horde Breaker drained the man of his resources.

  “Is this who you think will bring about the Hordes' destruction? Another old fool, unaware that their actions have consequences?”

  Uncertain looks and words traveled throughout the crowd as he spoke, and Erith made her way up the hill, placing her hand on his shoulder.

  “You should let him go,” she said, pointing at the elder.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  The color quickly drained from his face as his stamina and mana were almost completely drained. Ray looked over and dropped the man upon realizing.

  There is no way he is on the brink of ascension with so little mana and stamina…

  Ray knelt. “What level are you, really?” he asked.

  The man panted for a few moments before finally answering. “59,”

  Ray’s eyes widened. “But you were able to produce an aura, and are the leader of a clan?”

  He continued panting. “I know I gained an aura skill when I was level 40, and I just played along with everyone, thinking I was level 70. I thought I would make it there eventually, but the heavens abandoned me, and I never got the quest for my sixth threshold.”

  Ray shook his head and turned toward the gathered crowd. He used Draconic insight on a broad scale, serving everyone, and was left wanting. Not a soul above the fifth threshold, huh?

  “Are you feeling ok?” Erith asked in a hushed tone, pulling him from his thoughts.

  “Huh, yeah, why do you ask?”

  “You just seem a bit jumpy, that’s all.”

  Ray opened his mouth to speak but closed it soon after.

  Am I feeling ok? He thought back through his actions during the meeting. “Maybe not,” he eventually muttered.

  While he was sure he would have confronted the elder either way, he should have never come close enough to drain him fully. As he focused on it, he eventually found something in the back of his mind—a new and small voice demanding more. He thought about attacking the elder; it pushed him to drain him completely. He thought about grabbing something for launch, and it drove him to get a second portion. Now that he was aware of the influence, he was easily able to block it out.

  “I guess something was going on,” he said, turning to look at Erith.

  “What was it?” She asked.

  “I’ll tell you later, but we should get out of here for now. I don’t see anything else we could gain from this meeting.

  She nodded in agreement, and together they made their way off the hill and towards the medical tent where they were keeping Vaelora.

  The elder laughed weakly as he turned to face the crowd. Many of whom he recognized from his original clan stared daggers at him. “So, about my proposition?”

  A chorus of boos erupted as Erith and Ray walked out of earshot.

  When they reached the medical tent, they were surprised to find it livelier than usual, with a few people already inside.

  “Erith!” a woman who looked to be in her mid-30s yelled out.

  “What’s going on, Joy?”

  “Your mother is awake!”

  Erith's eyes widened, and she pushed her way into the tent with Ray following close behind her. She stopped looking at her mom, sitting up and chatting with a large woman who was helping tend to the injured.

  “You're awake!” she yelled, running at her mother.

  The other woman caught her out of mid-air, preventing Erith from hugging and tackling Vaelora. “Whoa there, you wouldn’t want to knock her out again, would ya?”

  “No, ma’am,” she said with a look of shame crossing across her face.

  “Good, now be gentle. She may be awake, but she is still injured.” She left the tent, allowing the three some privacy.

  “How are you feeling?” Erith asked, taking a seat next to her mother.

  “Better, but I may have overdone it during that fight, and it might be a long time before I fully recover.”

  “What do you mean?” Erith asked. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

  She sighed, opened a screen, and revealed it to the two.

  Erith jumped back in shock, covering her mouth with her hand.

  “That can’t be right,” Ray muttered, reading over the screen for a third time. “How could that even happen?” He frowned, finding no difference no matter how many times he reread the screen.

  Mental block

  Mana 50/50

  Stamina: 50/50

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