I concentrated on my Mana pool and channeled some more Mana through my tattoo and into my hand, moving back a couple of yards as I did so. Amelia moved with me, her eyes on the Beast. I pushed the Mana out onto my hand. With a crackle and a flash, a fireball appeared in my palm. The tattoo on my arm glowed orange once more. At this range, I could easily hit the monster’s head. I took a breath, then drew back my arm and hurled the flaming ball again.
The fireball exploded in the Beast’s face, and I raised my hand to block the light. It was very bright at this short distance.
The Beast roared as the ice on its face was melted by the fireball, but its feet were still frozen fast.
I didn’t waste any time. I threw another fireball, and then another. I hoped the fireballs wouldn’t start a fire in this forest, but right now killing the monster was a more urgent priority. With each cast, I could feel the powerful Mana energy burning through me, but as I used it, I could feel it growing weaker.
After I had hurled six fireballs, I had the satisfaction of seeing the flesh sizzle and catch on fire. The ice melted all around the monster, and, like a felled tree, the Beast slumped to the ground.
I didn’t want to take any chances, so I walked over and stabbed the monster in the neck. Finally, it shuddered and stopped moving.
I looked back at Amelia. “Are you ok?” I asked.
She brushed herself off and came over to look at the Beast, the book in her hands as ever. After gazing at it for a long moment, she glanced up at me. “I’m fine. A little sick at the thought of how much money we lost by destroying that Beast Core. Other than that, fine. How are you feeling?”
“A bit lightheaded. I think I may have used a bit too much Mana there. But we killed the Beast. How did you know what to do with that Beast Core? I didn’t know they could harm monsters.”
“I wasn’t expecting such a powerful blast. But I saw that your fire attack didn’t hurt it much, so I thought that some cold damage might do the trick instead. I’m glad I was right.” She shuddered, obviously thinking about what would have happened if she had been wrong.
“I’m glad as well.” I crouched down beside the massive bear carcass. “Let’s check this one for Cores and quickly. We’ve got to get moving in case those slavers are still looking for us.”
At that very moment, I heard the sound of someone clapping slowly behind me. Amelia and I both spun around, and I felt her draw instinctively closer to me.
“Well, well, look what you’ve found for us.” It was, Alek, the slaver who I’d burned. As he stepped out from behind the trees, I had the satisfaction of seeing what a mess his face was. His companions had patched him up as well as they could, with a heavy wrap of bloody bandage around his face, but he moved drunkenly, as if the pain still threatened to overwhelm him.
I was surprised he managed to sneak up on us. Obviously, we’d been distracted fighting the monsters. Well, I would just burn the other half of his face off to teach him a lesson. I concentrated on my Mana, preparing myself to shoot more fireballs. I found that in a few seconds, if I concentrated, I could feel my Mana pool beginning to replenish.
“With these Cores we’ll make a much higher profit margin from our journey,” Alek gloated. “We’ll make so much that I might even be able to convince my companions to give up their share in your price as a slave. Then I can take you back to the wagons and spend a few days slicing you up with a hot knife for what you did to my face!”
I heard crunching on the ground behind me and spun round. I could see the other four trollmen in the clearing, circling to surround us.
Alek leered, which twisted up his injured cheek so that he winced in pain. “I want my revenge on you, you bastard. Maybe I’ll leave enough of you standing so that I can still sell you in the mines. Fighter like you might be worth a lot, even if I rip out your fingernails and cut your balls off first. I’m amazed that you managed to kill that monster with just a dagger, but you won’t get a second chance with me. And looks like you don’t have no torch to burn me with either.”
So, they couldn’t have seen me using a fireball against the monster. They also didn’t seem to realize that I’d used magic to burn Alek’s face. This particular fellow seemed to have a selective memory since he believed I’d burned his face with a torch.
I smiled. They didn’t know what I could do. I might just be able to turn this fight to my advantage. Then again, I did have all five of them surrounding me, but my Mana was starting to feel like it had regenerated almost to full.
“I am looking forward to teaching you a little lesson,” Alek growled. “Come on, let’s see how well you can wield that knife against me. He’s mine, lads,” he called to his companions. “Leave this bastard to me!”
With those words, Alek lunged. He was armed with a vicious two-handed scimitar, jagged-edged and deadly sharp. He ran at me with this monster of a blade raised up high above his head, roaring like a bull. I side-stepped neatly and blasted a fireball into his stomach. His leather armor was no protection. The ball of fire burnt right through his flesh and left a gaping chasm where the left side of his abdomen should have been. The reek of
