“Anyway, my lord, that was a good trick you played on those dark elves. Got them like
standing chickens. Also those mist creatures. I really thought we were dead for sure.
They’ve got the ugliest faces I have ever seen. Uglier than trolls or ogres. But as Jorund
said, I may yet see uglier ones.”
“More will be coming, you know. If we got all, I figure we’ve got another day at least
before they realize their advance party failed. Though I would like you to scout up to
the edge of the forest. Set your traps again while on the way there. Oh, and don’t
forget food. Small game if possible. Quicker to carry. I will spend the day with Jorund
trying to improve our defenses and practice with my… ahh… skills.”
“That would be fine, my lord. I pray to the gods our battles here will go as smoothly as
last night. Let me take my leave. With me out there, Jorund can eat here.”
“Be safe, Habrok. We need you.”
Habrok gave a slight bow and left, bringing with him some food and a waterskin. Tyler
was still eating when Jorund came in.
“My lord.”
“Good morning Jorund. I see we got new equipment last night.”
“Yes, my lord. I already got myself a bow and a quiver set aside. When Habrok comes back, we can divide the extra arrows but I believe he should get the better part of it.
The extra weapons may come in handy but I hope we won't need them. Difficult to
fight with an unfamiliar weapon. What do we do today?”
“I gave Habrok his instructions already. I want you to build some barricades here
fronting the trail. We didn’t have cover last night. Then add stakes and traps down
there in the clearing. More stakes up here. I will try to create water storage containers
from the smaller boulders I saw behind the cabin. They can serve as our water for non-
drinking needs. There are some cut trees left over but if you need more, just ask me. I
also intend to practice my abilities against the rock face so please keep some distance
from me while I am doing that.”
“Very well, my lord.”
Tyler left Jorund to his meal. Passing by the door of the cabin, he noticed a roughly
made door ready to be placed into position. These guys work quick, he mused, thankful
that his companions are warriors experienced not only in battle but also in fieldcraft.
Selecting a boulder for his experiment, he used a blade to flatten the top. Looking at
what remained, he thought about how to fashion the needed cavity. Finding no easy
solution as he didn’t have the finer control of the skill needed by the task, he decided
he had to do it the hard way. He first sliced the square-shaped mouth of the cavity into
the boulder. Then chipped away at the inner stone with his ethereal blades, laboriously
removing by hand the stone fragments. Then he created another boulder water
storage. Two would be enough for their immediate needs. Each would require two
waterskins to fill anyway.
Moving to the clearing, he found Jorund finishing the first barricade facing the trail. He
informed him about the need to fill the new containers with water and then looked for a
proper area on the stone wall of the mountain to practice. He wanted to try out the
lightning skill.
Finding an appropriate spot, he prepared himself mentally and practiced deep breathing
before facing the stone wall. Unlike the fireball and light spells where the appropriate
vessel is first shaped and then infused with the required energy, a lightning spell need
to be created and coursed directly from available magical energy. Though this makes it
easier to cast, the nature of lightning creates aiming difficulties. In effect, the precise aiming of the lightning bolt was the bottleneck of the spell. If aiming was a secondary
concern, as when the ability is used as an area of effect spell, then the volume and
strength of the lightning bolts would be the primary consideration. Firing off lightning
bolts in quick succession, he found he could cast four bolts in a vaguely aimed manner
before needing to catch his breath.
Casting the spell was easy enough though as he expected, aiming it was difficult and needed practice. But considering their situation, he decided to focus more on lightning
as an area of effect spell. Unlike the blade spell, firing off several lightning bolts at the same time was a visceral expression of will.
The energy still had to be collected but its release had to be in a controlled but violent
manner. An expression of the nature of lightning itself. He was successful. Deep gouges
and scorched marks on the rock face showing his accomplishment. As usual, he named
the spell as simply as he could. LIGHTNING!
But he wanted to emulate what he dimly remembered during the Bildsfell encounter. A
lightning attack which could jump from one foe to another. He focused on the spell,
first with one lightning bolt. Not releasing it, he coursed his will into it, embedding in it the command to jump from the first target to another, then another. He marked the
places on the stone wall.
Unfortunately, control after the first target was impossible. He could feel the loss of
control beyond the initial target. He canceled the spell, returning it to the magical
energy it came from. He was disappointed but decided that for now, the availability of
the chain effect, even if uncontrolled, would be good enough. Especially when facing a
mass of enemies.
He turned to go back and rest in the cabin. He was tired, but not exhausted. He found
Jorund looking at him, mouth agape. He smiled as he walked past the man.
“So what do you think, Jorund?”
“My lord! I didn’t know your spells included the power of the Thunder God himself!”
Tyler stopped.
“Why the surprise? Isn’t a lightning spell one which mages can cast?”
“Not all, my lord. Only Champions of Thor or his priest can manifest any ability dealing
with thunder and lightning. For you to be able to do that is unheard of. Odin
