Chapter 7: First Quest Rewards
I crouched in the dirt, fingers digging into the ground. The earth felt alive, buzzing under my skin like a dodgy battery. I kept my breathing slow, Moira's lessons stuck in my head. Control it. Shape it. My hand twitched, itching to spark some magic.
Moira's voice cut in, warm but with a kick. She said, "Good, Robert. But this isn't just a tool. You're wielding something alive. Focus. Aim this time. Feel the connection."
I nodded, eyeing a gnarly tree nearby. A single leaf dangled from a low branch. My perfect target. Today's villain. I let out a breath, picturing the magic turning sharp and pointy. It felt real in my head, like I was carving it out. I flicked my wrist, and a thorn shot out, slicing the leaf clean off and sticking into the trunk. I grinned, punching the air. "Hell yeah!"
Hamish leaned on his shovel behind me, not impressed. He said, "Aye, so ye can snipe leaves. Big bloody deal. What's next, trimmin' hedges?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.
I muttered, "Piss off," and turned to a pile of rocks in the clearing. I crouched again, zeroing in on the biggest one.
Moira hummed, sounding chuffed. She said, "You're getting it, lad. Time to crank it up. Let's see how you handle some heat."
Before I could ask what she meant, the wind kicked up, carrying a creepy whisper that bounced around the clearing. The air got thick, like it was pressing on my chest. My spine went cold.
I kept my voice low. "Moira, what the hell's going on?"
She said, "Call it a test, Robert." Her tone was calm but pushy. She added, "The system we're building's gonna push your limits. Trust your gut. You got this."
I scanned the clearing, spotting little glints of light popping up in the air. They turned into small, glowing orbs, darting around like pissed-off fireflies with a weird-ass glow. No pattern, just chaos.
Moira said, "Targets. Hit 'em before they bugger off. Move quick."
I planted my feet, hand up, as the first orb zipped by. A thorn formed fast, and I fired. It smashed the orb, bursting into gold sparks that fizzled out. Another orb came at me, jerking side to side. I swung around and shot again, but the thorn just clipped it. The orb dodged and vanished into the trees. I cursed. "Shit!"
Moira said, "Not done yet." Her voice had a sly edge. New orbs popped up, faster, zipping like they knew my moves. I fired, but I missed. I fired again. My arm was burning like hell. My chest felt squeezed tight. I nailed one orb, then another, but a third zipped past my ear, way too quick. I stumbled forward and gasped for air.
Moira said, "Focus, lad." Her voice was steady but firm. She added, "Breathe. Feel the magic. Guess where they're going."
Hamish stood back, gripping his shovel, looking twitchy. He muttered, "What are ye even doin', Robbie? Flailin' at nothin' like a daft bugger." He swung his shovel, squinting hard. He added, "If somethin's out there, I'm ready to bash it, but I don't see shite."
I snapped, "Can you even see 'em?" My voice was tight, locked on the next orb.
Hamish shrugged, squinting. He said, "Well, no. Just you flinging rocks like a madman."
I fired, nailing the last orb. Gold sparks exploded. I said, "They're real, mate. Trust me."
Hamish shook his head, muttering, "Aye, sure. Still don't get where yer bloody thorns come from."
I slumped against a boulder, wiping sweat off my face. My chest was heaving, legs wobbly from chucking thorns so fast. A shadow moved in the trees, too tall, too still. I stared, heart pounding, and a flicker of text popped up in the corner of my eye: Professor Langston Asteen Perry: Human Scientist. Unaffiliated with Moira. My blood boiled. That bastard from Kilrain. I flung a thorn without thinking, then another. Langston dodged, jumping behind trees. I fired a third, and it whizzed over his head. He tripped, rolled, and kept running, vanishing into the woods.
Hamish jogged over, squinting. He said, "My eyes ain't what they used to be. What figment are ye shootin' at now?"
I growled, "That bastard that attacked me the other day. His name's Langston."
Hamish snarled, gripping his shovel. He said, "Bloody hell, and I didn't get to whack him!"
Moira cleared her throat, awkward. She said, "Um, Robert. You've reached the required level. Those last shots were damn close to killin' someone you see as an enemy."
A voice in my head chimed: Stone Thorn has attained level 4! Mana cost reduced, damage increased, by 8% each. 2% per level. Continue practicing to reach level 10 for evolution of magical skill.
I zoned out, lost in thought. Seeing exactly how much I'd improved at a skill blew my mind. I gave up piano as a kid because it felt like I was going nowhere. If I'd had something like this, tracking every step, I might not have quit. I shook my head, refocusing.
A glow sparked in my hand. A scroll appeared, cool and rough like old paper, but heavy, like it carried some kind of mojo. The golden lines on my skin, from that charm crystal Moira fused into me, pulsed a bit. I turned the scroll over, squinting at the runes wiggling like they were alive. A dungeon? What if I'm not cut out for this? I dig up pots, not fight monsters. I shoved the doubt down, but it sat there, heavy.
Hamish took a step back, shovel up like a shield. He said, "What's that thing, then?"
I grinned, holding it up. "Portal scroll, mate. It's our ticket to a dungeon."
Hamish's face went white. He said, "Dungeon? What kind of daft nonsense are ye on now? This shite's gonna kill us, Robbie."
I said, "Mate, we're in too deep to quit now. You wanna miss out on this?" My voice was steady, but my gut was churning.
He groaned, rubbing his neck. He said, "Fine, but I'm blamin' you when we're dead."
I chuckled. "Fair." My heart was pounding as I unrolled the scroll, reading the runes as Moira whispered them in my head. The ground shook a bit, and a ring of light flared up nearby.
The portal grew, its surface shimmering with energy. The air around it buzzed, tickling my skin, and a low hum filled the clearing. Through the glow, I saw a cave, torches flickering, smelling like wet dirt and old rocks.
Hamish stumbled back, jaw slack. He said, "Robbie, what in Christ's name did ye do?" His face went green, like he was about to hurl, and he gripped his shovel tighter.
I stepped toward the portal, eyes glued to the cave. I said, "Just the next bit, mate."
Hamish muttered something, probably a curse, but shuffled closer, shovel gripped tight. He said, "If ye get me killed, I'll haunt yer arse."
I laughed, slapping his shoulder. "Deal. You ready?"
He grumbled, "No." But he moved up with me anyway.
We stepped through, the hum getting louder as we crossed. Moira's voice hit my head. She said, "You've beefed up your Thorn spell, Robert. It's faster, stronger now. Keep at it, and it might turn into something wild." Her tone was proud, but then it dropped. She added, "This dungeon's a long haul, you and Hamish. You'll grow a ton. But it's gonna take time… And it's dangerous."
I swallowed, glancing at Hamish. He looked ready to swing that shovel at anything. I said, "Let's do this."