Chapter 17: The Hunters Test 5

  BZZZT—KRAAACK!!

  The Magmavore slammed into the ground beside Aspen, smoking and twitching.

  Aspen lay on his back, wide-eyed and breathless.

  “Hey, you—drink that healing potion!” Dior crouched next to him, voice sharp.

  Aspen blinked slowly. “I… gave the last potion to you.”

  Dior’s brows snapped together. “How could you bring only one potion!?”

  “I bought ten…” Aspen wheezed,

  “…but Ryl took my bag. I only had one with me… which I gave you.”

  Dior clenched his shaking fists, jaw tight.

  “Why did you give me…”

  “Huh?” Aspen whispered.

  “WHO TOLD YOU TO OFFER?!” Dior exploded.

  “I DON’T NEED YOUR PITY!”

  Aspen gave a faint smile, soft and tired.

  “I just… can’t watch my friend get hurt. And I see you as one.”

  Dior froze.

  A memory buried long ago, one he didn’t want to remember, struck him.

  His heart twisted uneasily.

  A little boy smiling gently,

  “I can't see people hurt… and you’re one of them.”

  He quickly turned away.

  “Ah—!”

  Aspen gasped as pain shot through him.

  Dior immediately leaned down and tied a cloth around his wound with quick, controlled hands.

  Aspen winced.

  “Have patience. It will be done,” Dior said.

  “And… I’m not your friend.”

  Aspen leaned back against a rock, breathing hard.

  “Oh… you already are.”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “I said—”

  “Um—excuse me!” a voice chirped.

  Both snapped their heads up.

  A yellow-haired boy in a black uniform stood smiling awkwardly, cloak fluttering with an emblem.

  “Sorry! I didn’t mean to eavesdrop… It was an accident!”

  “…Who are you?” Dior asked flatly.

  “Oh right! I’m Wren Strome!” He brightened.

  “I am a Spirit wielder and this is my first mission. I came to slay the Magmavore because it burned down half the village, and I was super excited, and I tried, I really did, but I only managed—”

  Dior and Aspen stared at him like he was a new species.

  “—to crack it. But you made it even easier by throwing that boulder! And really, you were so COOL! And since it entered the test area I hardly got the permission but as soon as I got, I rushed here—”

  “Are you done?” Dior cut him off in mid-sentence.

  “If so, mind me giving healing potions. Now.”

  Wren blinked.

  “Right… uh… I don’t have healing potions. But I do have one that reduces bleeding and pain! And—”

  Dior held out a hand.

  “Impatient…”

  Wren placed the vial in his palm, muttering.

  Aspen drank it, breathing easier.

  “Okay! Since you helped me, I’ll treat you both! My thanks!”

  Aspen could stand now—barely—leaning on Dior.

  “Don't worry about that…” His voice came weak.

  “Now, come on! You guys helped me!”

  He insisted as both agreed.

  “Aren~!” Ellie’s cheerful voice rang as she ran toward them, Ryl behind her.

  “Oohhh Arennnn! I missed—”

  Ellie froze when she looked at Aspen, blood covered.

  And Ryl? He stopped dead, then turned crimson with fury.

  “AREN!!” Ellie shrieked, reaching.

  “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!!”

  Ryl grabbed Dior’s collar instantly.

  “You cold ice pole! What did you do to him!!?”

  “Yes! What have you done?!” Ellie added.

  “You two—calm down!” Aspen croaked.

  “You don’t need to protect him, Aren,” Ryl said dramatically.

  “I SHALL AVENGE YOU!”

  “You really are a mud-brained mutt,” Dior sighed.

  Ryl blinked.

  A dog's bark rang in his ears as he glanced around to check it.

  Then he froze—realization hit.

  “You stinky glacier—!”

  He pulled back a fist but Dior simply pressed a finger to Ryl’s forehead.

  “Listen. First.”

  He explained everything.

  “Ohhhh! That’s what happened!” Ryl said, suddenly cheerful.

  “You could’ve said that earlier,” Ellie pouted.

  “Did you even let me speak?” Dior groaned.

  They apologized.

  “Are you all friends?” Wren asked, who was quietly listening to their argument.

  “Yes,” Aspen replied.

  Introductions were done.

  “Hand me the healing potions now,” Dior demanded.

  “Healing potions? Oh I gave them to Helen! She helped me carry it.” Ryl replied.

  He glanced around.

  “Where is she…?”

  “I thought she was behind us!!” Ellie said.

  “So you mean she ran off… with my bag… and the Quillbane mat…?” Aspen asked.

  “Y-you could say that,” Ryl smiled nervously.

  Aspen nearly collapsed.

  “I failed… I failed the test…”

  “Aren!! Stay with me!!” Ellie cried.

  Dior sighed.

  “Fine. We hunt again.”

  _ _ _

  The last thirty minutes left…

  “We can’t find a single beast!” Ryl groaned.

  Aspen, limping but steady, orb glowing in his hand.

  “Let’s try north. Something should be there.”

  “I’ll follow you anywhere!” Ellie declared.

  Dior walked ahead silently.

  Wren trailed behind, as he lacked a sense of direction.

  “It's not my fault!!”

  “Mr. Strome, what drop item did you get from the Magmavore?” Aspen asked.

  “Call me Wren, and look!”

  He pulled a giant jawbone from thin air.

  “Magmavore jaw! Cool, right?!”

  “Ekkk…” Ryl backed away.

  “What? This thing can forge a weapon that kills ten mid-rank beasts in one swing! And it has great heat tolerance!” Wren boasted.

  “That's amazing!” Aspen gasped.

  “So you’ll forge a weapon?”

  “Nah. I'm now a spirit wielder. So, my weapon strength will depend on my mana strength and flow in my body. And you can see I can store things in dimensional pockets but it has a limit again based on the mana capability. So I’ll just sell it.”

  He made the jaw vanish.

  “Can I see your weapon?” Aspen asked, as Ellie and Ryl leaned in with sparkling eyes.

  “Of course!”

  A crackle of lightning then his weapon appeared.

  It's a spear.

  “SO COOL!!” Ryl yelled.

  “Yes!” Aspen added.

  “Can I touch it?!” Ellie begged.

  He handed it over.

  She tried to spark thunder—nothing.

  “It only works for me,” Wren explained, electricity dancing between his fingers.

  “It’s an amplifier so it boosts magic speed and power.”

  Everyone gasped—

  except Dior.

  Who was missing.

  “Oh no! Only ten minutes left!” Aspen panicked.

  “We forgot!” Ryl yelped. “What do we do?!”

  “We will submit this,” Dior said, suddenly appearing with a Quillbane mat in hand.

  “Where did you get that?” Ellie blinked.

  “And where were you?” Aspen asked.

  “When you all were wasting time chatting, I hunted it.”

  “Oh! I forgot—I had a bag with that same item!” Wren said.

  Everyone stared.

  He pulled a bag from his dimensional pocket.

  “This bag…” Ryl squinted.

  “It's familiar!!” Ellie added.

  “You are right!” Aspen took it as the three leaned closer.

  They looked inside and they froze.

  “It's… mine…” Aspen whispered.

  *****

  Chapter 18: The Hunters Test 6 (final)