Blessed Time: The Complete Series: (A LitRPG Adventure Box Set), page 47
Really, only the Cavern of Rust interested him, and he wasn’t terribly keen on venturing into its depths without at least a pair of Brensens. That meant capturing the grove and enacting rituals, both to summon daemons and to begin improving his disappointingly mediocre affinities.
Finally, they were powerful enough to make a serious try for the grove. Between the animals, Trevor, and him, Micah was pretty sure they had enough people to pin the dryads down. They were fast and could phase through wood, but they would be going into the battle with their eyes open. Without their tricks, the giggling little monsters were a difficult but infinitely surmountable task.
“Wait.” Micah’s eyes grew wide. “Fourteen. Shit.”
The stag snorted bemusedly, mirth flickering in its eyes at some sort of private joke.
He began running back toward the cave and its teleportation formation. He hated using the ritual. The disorientation and physical side effects were unpleasant, to say the least. That said, they were the least of his concerns.
Theoretically, the ritual sheathed his physical form in energy before transferring him through Elsewhere. Allegedly, there was no risk, but he’d had enough experience with Elsewhere to know that discretion was the right choice. Just because he could use the mists as a shortcut didn’t mean he should.
His feet beat a steady tattoo as he pushed his magically enhanced body to its limits, passing through the narrow forest paths with the swiftness of a striking hawk. Today was his godsdamned birthday, and even if all of the monsters of the wilderness couldn’t bring him down, his mother sure as hells would if he managed to miss dinner with his family.
THIRTEEN
THE HOME FRONT
“Have another slice of ham, Trevor.” Micah’s mother slid the slab of pink meat onto his brother’s plate. “We haven’t had a chance to all get together and celebrate your achievements with the Lancers yet.
“I’m glad at least one of my sons cares about his future,” she continued, putting another chunk of meat onto Trevor’s plate. “A guild is a respectable profession, and I heard from Lisa-Mae that you just completed some sort of major achievement over there?”
Micah ate his salad, doing his best to keep a smile off of his face. It was his birthday, and his mother had escalated his reception from frosty to ice-cold. He really hadn’t been home all that much to help defuse the situation after he turned down the apprenticeship with Keeper Ansom.
Apparently, Mom wasn’t going to let him forget that choice anytime soon. Micah glanced at the meat and cakes on his sister and father’s plates, struggling to avoid chuckling. As funny as the situation was, drawing attention to himself right now was just asking for a maternal scolding.
“Yeah.” Trevor shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth. “Once the guild saw how good I was, they put me in an expedited leadership program. We just cleared our first dungeon, and it sounds like I’ll have my own squad by the end of the year. Even though a lot of people have Uncommon blessings, apparently my class is special. The proctor at my intake got really excited when she saw it.”
“Good!” Their mother sat down, a large smile on her face as she gazed solely at Trevor. “And what is this I hear about a girlfriend? Are you using contraceptive spells, or am I going to be a grandmother sometime soon?”
“Mom!” Trevor exclaimed, choking on a chunk of meat. Their father just burst out laughing.
“Is Trevor going to have a baby?” Esther asked, squinting at him before turning back to their mother. “Mom, make Trevor have a baby. I’ve been watching Dad work and I have all sorts of ideas for outfits that would look so cute on a baby.”
“Honey,” their father interjected, wiping a tear away from his face as he tried to force a serious expression, “you’ve only been talking to Trevor for the last ten minutes. It’s Micah’s birthday. Why don’t we turn to the boy of the hour?”
Micah did his best to avoid a smirk. He really should have been upset at his mother’s treatment of him, but he knew it was coming from a place of love. She still hoped to convince him to take an apprenticeship.
She’d be right if he didn’t already have his path. Unfortunately, she wasn’t Trevor. If Micah told her why he was hiding out in the woods rather than becoming a productive member of society, the entire neighborhood would know by sundown.
“Fine.” She turned her head to Micah, her lips compressed into a tight line. “Tell us about your adventures in the forest, Micah. I’m sure that you’ll be able to find a great job with all of your… camping… experience. Perhaps as a forester? Maybe a trapper? Or would it be in some other profession that doesn’t involve bathing regularly?”
“Veronica,” his father snapped at her, “I know you’re upset with the boy, but he has to find his own way. Can you at least let him have his birthday supper with his family without turning it into a passive-aggressive circus?”
“Jon—” she began, taken aback.
“You were just complaining about how Micah doesn’t come home enough.” He shook his head. “Maybe if you didn’t bite the boy's head off every time he stepped inside the door we’d see more of him?”
Micah shifted slightly in his seat while his parents bickered. Even though he was actually closer to their age than the one listed on his status sheet, the situation was still uncomfortable. Across the table from him, Esther stared at her hands. Only Trevor continued to eat his dinner, undisturbed by their parents’ theatrics.
“I just want him to do well, Jon.” There were unshed tears at the corner of his mother’s eyes as she broke eye contact. “I went through so much before you met me. I just couldn’t take the idea of one of my babies going through all of that. The stares. The words, whispered behind hands. The fake pity.”
“I get it, Mom,” Micah said, smiling slightly. “You’re just going to have to trust me. Trevor and I are working together, and I’m making a lot of progress. I already have a pretty good idea of what my blessing will be and I’m getting a head start on it. It’s not easy work, but it will only put me in a better position once I turn sixteen.”
“I guess if Trevor is taking care of you…” she mumbled while the young man suddenly perked up from his plate before shifting in his chair guiltily. “If he’s training you on how to use the spear, it can’t be all bad. Maybe you can get a fancy class like his.”
“Of course, Mother.” Micah turned to look at Trevor, his eyes glinting. “Trevor spends every weekend training with me. I’m sure he’ll be able to keep me safe from whatever is hiding out in the woods.”
“Good.” She turned to Trevor, not noticing his visible discomfort as he withered under Micah’s gaze. “Trevor, you need to make sure that Micah is actually learning out there. It can’t be all camping and fun. He needs to actually be ready to join a guild when he gets his blessing.”
“Don’t worry.” Micah shook his head. “Trevor is working me hard. If we aren’t sparring or working on theory, we’re out in the field fighting monsters. It’s pretty exciting actually. Each day I can feel myself growing stronger.”
Esther’s eyes widened as she looked at Micah with awe, her fork frozen halfway to her mouth. Micah couldn’t see his father, but he could hear the man choking as he tried to intervene before their mother got a chance to respond.
Unsuccessfully.
“Trevor Bernard Silver!” Even expecting it, Micah winced at the explosion. “Your brother threw aside a perfectly good apprenticeship because he idolizes you.”
Micah struggled to keep his face neutral, while Trevor looked like a dog stuck outside during a thunderstorm.
“Here you sit at my dinner table, eating the food that I slavishly prepared for your younger brother’s birthday,” she said, her eyes flashing.
Micah’s eyes flicked to the salad she’d slammed down in front of him wordlessly before serving a proper meal to the rest of the family.
“All the while,” she continued, her voice building to a crescendo while her husband tried to interject, “you’ve been putting your younger brother at risk. Forcing him to fight monsters without a blessing or magic to defend himself with. He could be hurt or killed while you play your games. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Mom.” Trevor’s eyes were pleading with Micah. “It’s not like that! Micah knows what he’s doing. He’s the one that’s teaching me how to fight!”
“Do you seriously expect to push this onto your younger brother on his fourteenth birthday?” Her voice quieted dangerously.
“Who wants pie?” Their father stood up, a bit of a nervous smile on his face. “Your mother made an apple pie this afternoon, and the smell has been taunting me all day. How about we change the subject and have some pleasant time together as a family instead?”
Electricity practically crackled across the room. Trevor did his best to hide himself while Esther’s gaze moved from parent to parent, her mouth half-open as she tried to process what was happening.
“Jon.” It was only one word, but the way his mother said it positively dripped with warning. At some point her hair had come undone. Her breath was coming in erratic gasps.
“Veronica,” their father replied, squaring his shoulders subtly as he prepared to stand his ground. “You always complain about how the kids are never home. I know you’re concerned about them, but you need to calm down. They’re both going to be adventurers. Micah and Trevor will have to face danger every single day. Even if you want to protect them, you can’t. At some point you’re just going to have to rely upon them to handle themselves.”
“But Micah’s so young—” She deflated like a balloon, her righteous anger flowing out of her as she wilted under his words.
“Micah”—his father turned to him, tone leaving no room for games—“tell your mother that you’re being careful. You know that she worries about you, and don’t think that I haven’t noticed that you’re playing some sort of prank on Trevor. Your mom might be too worked up to notice that half-smirk on your face, but I’ve been around you boys long enough to know what’s happening.”
“It’s fine, Mom,” Micah gave in, letting his mischievous smile blossom across his face. “I’ve been fighting monsters with Trevor, but it isn’t anything we can’t handle. He’s been really cautious about picking our fights. If anything, you could almost say that it’s me pushing him.”
“Almost?” Trevor hissed, shaking his head at Micah. “Like how you almost pushed us into fighting the nightwasps?”
“Stop picking on your brother,” their mother said absently before sighing and sharing a meaningful glance with her husband. “I think it’s about time for that pie. I want the boys to be safe, but…”
She took a deep, shuddering breath, closing her eyes to center herself. For a second, no one spoke. Then she let the air back out, opening her eyes as she smiled weakly.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was quieter, almost a whisper. “I don’t like to admit it, but Jon is right. I’m upset that the two of you aren’t spending as much time at home as I’m used to, and it’s causing me to lash out. I understand that it isn’t helping anything, but I can’t help myself.
“I think we just need to just focus on having a good afternoon.” She smiled wanly. “Micah and Trevor are home, and that’s what really matters.”
“We?” Their father raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
“Fine,” she replied with a laugh as she walked over to a cabinet to retrieve the pie. “Me. I need to lighten up. Now stop pushing your luck and enjoy the pie.”
“So Daddy and you aren’t getting a divorce?” Esther asked, wide-eyed, as their mother set a plate of pie down in front of her.
“What!?” Jon interjected, a cup of water halfway to his mouth before he broke in a coughing fit. “How in the name of the Sixteen do you know what a divorce is, young lady?”
“Debby’s mom is mad that her dad lost his job and didn’t tell her.” Esther nodded sagely, a forkful of apple pie traveling to her mouth. “Her mom is upset because instead of going to work each day, he went to some rose petal place. Apparently they got in a big fight about it, and now Debby might get to live with her grandparents!”
“Dave lost his job?” their father asked, cocking his head slightly, his hand poised just above his plate. “I suppose Michelle would be pretty angry if he wasn’t bringing in any attunement and was spending what little they had at the Rose Petal House.”
“So you know its full name.” Their mother’s gaze zeroed in on their father like a hawk that had spotted prey. “Strange how much you know about Basil’s Cove’s most famous brothel.”
“Veronica?” The word was hesitant, almost a question. Trevor and Micah made eye contact, both wisely opting to remain silent. “You know that I sew the costumes for the girls. Of course I know some of the details of their business. I have to in order to do my job.”
“No.” Their mother’s voice had an edge to it that could cut iron. “I didn’t know that you made costumes for ‘the girls.’ I didn’t know you knew anything about ‘the girls.’ I especially didn’t know that you were close enough with them to simply refer to them as ‘the girls.’ I am finding this conversation very informative.”
“Dinner was great”—Micah stood up, ignoring the mostly full plate of pie in front of him—“but I should probably get going. Trevor and I have to talk about our training regime for the weekend.”
“Uh…” Trevor nodded quickly, frantically trying to swallow the mouthful of pie he was chewing on. “Yeah, we should probably get out of your hair so we can get to that.”
“There’s no—” their father began, only to be interrupted by their mom.
“Why don’t you take Esther with you?” Her eyes tried to burn a hole through their father’s chest. “Your Dad and I have a lot to talk about.”
FOURTEEN
RECLAIMING THE GROVE
Micah’s spear passed through the dryad as the tiny humanoid lunged toward him, letting the wood of the haft slip through its body like it was a mirage. He winced under the wet rag draped across his mouth as the monster giggled, letting out a puff of red pollen from the flowers wreathing its head. It reached toward him with a thorn-covered claw.
He kicked out with his right foot, exploding into motion with every point of his enhanced Body and Agility. The dryad squeaked, trying to twist its body away from the blow, only for the sole of Micah’s foot to catch it in the torso and send it flying through the air.
With a wave of his hand and a muttered word, he caught the monster with updraft, preventing it from hitting the ground or a tree where it could take advantage of its Wood magic.
Micah sprinted forward, ignoring the cloud of red pollen as the wet rag around his mouth hopefully filtered out the spores. With his Body attribute they wouldn’t harm him too much, but he certainly didn’t want to find himself talking to things that weren’t there in the middle of a life-or-death fight.
He caught up to the dryad as it floated, squirming in the air. With a blur of motion, his spearhead caught it in the chest. There was a moment of resistance as its wooden body tried to rebuff the spear head. Then the enchantment activated, pulsing destructive energy into the flailing monster as the razor-sharp blade of the spear pushed all the way through the dryad’s tough form.
The small wooden being went slack, and Micah turned to look for another target. Nearby, Trevor struggled with a pair of dryads, barely holding them off with a flurry of air knives and violent swings of a spear coated in swirling clouds of green Air magic.
After ensuring that Trevor wasn’t in immediate danger, Micah made a note to ask him about the ability he was using later. Trevor had never been terribly forthcoming about the Wind-based martial art he’d received as part of his blessing, but if Micah was going to integrate him into his team for the journey into the Great Depths, he would need to know everything that Trevor was capable of.
Despite the deer’s practiced indifference toward the juvenile panther, the two of them made a good team. The buck agilely interposed itself between the large cat and the dryads, fending them off with its antlers. Every time one of the half-dozen monsters around them made a move, the deer would almost teleport in front of it, in position to gore the diminutive wooden monster if it followed through with its intended action.
The panther would use the openings created by the stag to pounce, swatting dryads aside with casual ease or dragging them past the deer to savage them at its leisure.
Even as he watched, a pair of dryads rushed toward the stag, only for it to fend one off with its lowered head while it slammed the other with a hoof. The kicked monster staggered woozily for a fraction of a second before the panther flowed around its companion with practiced ease, clamping down on the monster’s head with its massive jaws.
Before any of its companions could come to its aid, the giant cat flicked its head to the side, cracking the wood of the dryad’s neck while its limbs flailed futilely. Even as its thorny claws tried to find purchase on the panther’s thick fur, she leapt backwards, interposing the deer between herself and the monsters once more.
With a crunch, the panther’s jaw flexed and crushed the dryad. Its companions chittered and squealed as they tried to circle around the stag to get at the panther. Almost dismissively, it dropped the wooden corpse next to a small pile of its similarly deceased associates.
Smiling, Micah fired a pressure spear into one of the dryads. The Wind magic wasn’t terribly damaging, only cracking the creature’s bark and sending it flying, but that was all the opening he needed.
Micah stepped into the gap in the dryad’s formation, triggering the Time enchantment in his spear. A rainbow of possibilities surrounded his quarries as one expertly sidestepped his thrust.
