Owin swung the Thunderstrike Maul back and forth, causing it to glow.

  Myrsvai and Suta gave him some space, avoiding the hammer. The only one who stayed close was Shade, who kept reaching to touch the glowing weapon.

  “I’m worried,” Owin said.

  “Oh, really? You’re not just swinging that weapon around for fun? It does look fun. I do want to know what happens if you hit me with it,” Shade said.

  “You’ll see eventually,” Owin said. “Do you think everyone is okay? Should we go back to help?”

  “You promised Chorsay,” Myrsvai said. “And we promised everyone else. We need to get stronger.”

  “Yeah. You’re right.” Owin looked over his shoulder. Nagyati was far away. He wasn’t going to see anything anymore.

  “The first external fort is just a few miles away. Do you want to stop and fight some mobs?” Myrsvai asked.

  “Yes,” Suta said quickly.

  “I guess.” Owin sighed and continued moving the hammer.

  Shade jumped in front of it, causing the hammer to release its energy. The skeleton exploded and turned to gray dust.

  “You knew that would happen,” Myrsvai said.

  “Yeah, I did. I’ll summon him when we get to the fort.”

  ***

  Vondaire hadn’t intended to help destroy a few city blocks, but then again, he hadn’t intended to fight a 4 Shard Hero.

  Unfortunately, he was outmatched. Quite significantly. He was happy with the fight he had given, but with his mana low, and a few significant injuries, it seemed like the appropriate time to flee.

  Vondaire’s final two copies stood just outside the portal circle. Civilians and portal guards were still in the process of fleeing as the street burned.

  Isaak Agapov had returned to his mortal self, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous. “A cowardly retreat?”

  “Tactical, actually. Owin’s gone.”

  Isaak adjusted his glasses, which Vondaire was amazed had survived the fight. “I was never going to kill the goblin. My comrades convinced me of his potential power. He will be one of us, whether he likes it or not.”

  “Althowin won’t allow that.”

  “Althowin will be dead.”

  Vondaire had miscalculated again. “Why fight me?”

  “To keep you in Nagyati. You truly think too much of yourself.” Isaak gestured to some distant civilians. “I had fuel for Power 7 this entire time. If I wanted to kill you, I would have.”

  Vondaire didn’t actually doubt that. He had been a little overconfident, but not by much. If Isaak had been trying to kill him, he would have likely used Power 6 or 7 immediately.

  Isaak looked over his shoulder. Two people ran down the street. On their own, they weren’t a threat to Isaak. Together, with Vondaire, Isaak was dead.

  Four shards activated. Two over Chorsay, two over Arkasti.

  Isaak looked back, but both copies of Vondaire had already vanished.

  The wizard pulled another wand from his pocket. Before he could crush it to activate a Power 6 spell, Vondaire snatched it right out of his hand. He had to put himself in a dangerous position to do so.

  Isaak cast Viscous Fire, pouring the liquid flames straight into Vondaire’s face and down his mouth. That copy died immediately, leaving Vondaire alone as Multiply ended. His consciousness was now in his one and only body. If he died again, it would be permanent.

  Blue light flashed as Isaak turned. He looked at Arkasti first, who appeared to be the more immediate threat. Arkasti was thrumming with berserker abilities, and his claymore looked like it could cleave a city in two.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  But Isaak misread the situation. Arkasti stepped aside as Chorsay and all of his weight dashed in and chopped with the Winged Sword of the Swift Behemoth. In a single swing, the sword chopped straight through the durable flesh of a 4 Shard Hero. What was left of a nearby building collapsed from the shockwave.

  Chorsay didn’t hesitate in kicking over Isaak’s body. “Are you hurt?”

  “Fine, considering,” Vondaire said.

  Sofia jogged up. “This ain’t what I was expecting.”

  “We’re going back Vraxridge,” Chorsay said. “Are you coming?”

  “My mana is gone and I am out of tricks.”

  Chorsay grabbed Vondaire’s shoulder with his massive hand. He squeezed hard enough even as his shards deactivated that Vondaire thought his shoulder might shatter. “Thank you. Truly.”

  Vondaire nodded.

  “Back to Vraxridge when you have a second shard.” Chorsay patted Vondaire’s shoulder and continued into the portal circle.

  “Do I have to?” Vondaire asked.

  “I’ll see you there, friend.” Chorsay disappeared into the portal. Arkasti and Sofia entered immediately after.

  Vondaire sighed, fixed his jacket, and walked into the portal heading to Barcaen in Prouvaria.

  ***

  The Ocean Dungeon had been miserable the first time.

  The second time, it became an ocean of blood.

  Nikoletta stepped out of the void nexus, onto the dry, sunny beach. A few heroes waiting to enter backed farther away as Zazenk appeared and stretched out his wings to their full length.

  A shard lifted from Nikoletta’s shoulder and hummed. “To the Tundra.”

  “Yes, mistress.”

  She strode across the beach, causing all nearby heroes to back away. The ferry wasn’t there, but she was patient. She had waited before, and now that her future was so clear before her, she could wait again.

  Zazenk placed his hand on the back of her neck. “Soon, we will bring my brethren forth and bathe in blood.”

  Nikoletta could feel his bloodlust. His bulbous fingers stroked the side of her neck. Her eyes flashed with luminous light. She was hungry for more. For power. For battle.

  If the ferry didn’t arrive soon, she would find some other way to get back to the mainland.

  ***

  Owin stopped outside a small stone fort. It was basically a ten foot tall stone square that backed up to a rock formation. Two towers holding goblin archers occupied the corners, protecting a gated door in the center.

  “These are all over?” Owin asked.

  “There are a few dozen. They hold goblins, hobgoblins, or elves.”

  “I’ll piss on you!” a goblin archer shouted. They had already shot a few arrows in their direction but they had all landed short.

  “Weird.”

  Summon the Withered Shade

  As soon as Shade appeared, an arrow pinged off his skull. He turned to look at the goblins as another arrow struck. Shade turned back to Owin with an arrow hanging out of his eye socket. “Did it hit me?”

  Myrsvai pulled the arrow out and yanked Shade back.

  “I haven’t seen another goblin in a while. I thought it would be weird.”

  “Is it?”

  “Not really.”

  The goblins continued shouting crude comments.

  “I’m not like that.”

  “Not anymore,” Shade said.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  The goblin archers each had blue or green hair in the same tall, spiky style as Owin’s. He was sure they looked similar to him.

  “Mind if I kill them? Myrsvai asked.

  “No, go ahead. You need the experience,” Owin said.

  Myrsvai and Suta launched abyssal spells at each tower, killing the goblins with ease. Owin approached the reinforced wooden door and smashed the Thunderstrike Maul against it. It crumpled under his strength.

  “What level are these forts?”

  “Goblin ones are up to level fifteen,” Myrsvai said.

  Owin walked into the small fort. “Oh. Is it even worth our time?” A goblin ran at him with a knife. Owin swung the hammer, catching the goblin in the head. Its corpse sailed across the opening and crumpled against the far wall.

  “No.” Mrysvai entered the fort. Suta ran past and opened a chest. He pulled out a health potion. “I suppose that helps.”

  “Maybe we can find some buffs,” Owin said.

  “That would be good. You haven’t had any in a while.”

  Owin checked another chest, which only held coins. He let Suta grab them.

  “I don’t think Althowin wanted to give me any,” Owin said.

  They scoured the rest of the fort, finding only a few more pieces of gold.

  “There are paths that would allow us to avoid any forts and likely get there faster. If we follow our current one, we will find progressively more difficult mobs until we reach the elite elves,” Myrsvai said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”

  “We can come back someday if we want. Let’s go faster.” Owin walked over the broken door and looked back the way they had come. “I don’t want to leave everyone else alone.”

  “Then let’s go a little faster.”

  “Really?”

  “I think I am owed a rematch in a race after the Ocean,” Myrsvai said.

  Suta smashed his fists together. “Run.”

  “Uh, excuse me,” Shade said. “I don’t believe running is one of my talents.”

  Summon the Withered Shade

  Myrsvai chuckled. “I can rest after the first floor. It’s isolated anyway. Are you ready, Suta?”

  Suta crouched and placed both hands on the ground.

  “I’ll let you start first,” Owin said.

  Myrsvai took off without a word. He moved so much faster than Owin had anticipated. They had both been through so much since their last little race in Ligala Lepis. Suta was gone immediately after. Owin took a breath, adjusted his grip on the hammer, and took off as fast as possible.